Cindy Rodgers, one of our Community Schools Coordinators, played a crucial role in organizing a resource fair at Cedar Ridge Elementary School last week. The event helped students and families prepare for the start of the new academic year, both at home and in the classroom. Parents were welcome to take highly-needed supplies including paper products, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, and more. Children enjoyed browsing through hundreds of books at the free book fair. Families could also pick up clothing for their students and enjoy free family photos as they explored the school halls and met their children’s teachers.

Rodgers collaborated with other community partners to make sure the event offered a variety of resources for families and students. A local barber gave students free haircuts and another station offered complimentary manicures so students could feel their best starting a new school year. The Baby Fold’s Healthy Start program offered free baby formula and books while talking to growing families about the benefits of enrolling in the voluntary program. When the community comes together and surrounds a child with resources, they are sure to soar. Best of luck this school year, Cedar Ridge Rockets! 

Hope is a powerful force. It helps us see a positive future that encourages us to be our best each day. While preparing for the new school year, teachers at Hammitt Junior-Senior High School were asked to reflect on what they hope for their students this year. Among the comments were, “I hope the students feel like this is a home to them;" "My hope is that each student knows how much I care about them;" and "I hope they feel safe, valued, and loved.” Each teacher wrote their hopes on a paper apple and all the apples will be proudly displayed on a "Hope Tree" in the halls of Hammitt School.

In addition to creating the tree of hope, Hammitt Junior-Senior High teachers also enjoyed a picnic, root beer floats, and yard games, while learning about the latest techniques in trauma-informed special education. Complimentary planners were also available for staff, complete with brain exercises and inspirational messages to prepare for the fall semester. Best wishes for a wonderful year of learning and growth Hammitt teachers, staff, and students! 

Each year, The Baby Fold Camp is a new and exciting adventure for Hammitt Elementary School students, teachers, staff, and United Methodist high school campers. This year, we offered a unique opportunity for our young students with autism to enjoy a bit of the East Bay experience in the more familiar comfort of their campus. High school campers worked and played alongside them, learning first-hand how a child on the spectrum experiences the world. Inside the classroom and out in the sunshine, our kids expanded their horizons of sensory play. Meanwhile, other Hammitt students enjoyed a traditional camp setting in the great outdoors with swimming, fishing, boating, and making new friends. Thank you to all who give above and beyond so that we can provide this extra special week of growth and fun for our kids. 

You’re never too young to lend a helping hand! Recently, a group of local children hosted a lemonade stand and donated their proceeds to The Baby Fold. When dropping off the donation, the children said they wanted to help kids at The Baby Fold because they might not have a family or a home, like they do. Their generosity will help to find safe, loving homes and forever families for children less fortunate – thank you! 

Additionally, a young woman chose to support The Baby Fold as part of her Eagle Scout service project. She reached out asking how she could help and was given different projects that would make a difference. She chose to assemble and donate sensory kits, which are filled with calming sensory items like therapy putty and fidgets to help children self-regulate, focus, and learn. The soon-to-be Eagle Scout explained that she was inspired by her brother, who is on the Autism spectrum, to make these kits to help children served by The Baby Fold. Thank you for demonstrating Scout Spirit and helping those in need!

Creating positive childhood experiences lets kids know they're important and it strengthens the bond between parent and child. To help our Healthy Start families create these moments, we plan family friendly activities throughout the year. Recently they enjoyed a day at Prairie Farms! What a fun summer day for our families! 

The Baby Fold has always sought to fill unmet needs in our community, and it was becoming apparent in the early 1970s that services for children with emotional-behavioral needs were in short supply. In 1970, the Joint Commission on the Mental Health of Children reported that 1.4 million children were in need of that type of special care and adequate facilities were only available for seven percent of them.

To help meet that need, The Baby Fold’s nursery was transformed into the new Child Development Center, opening on January 4, 1972, after the Christmas holiday. The new center’s goal was early diagnosis and treatment of behavior disorders in children, with each child’s parents actively involved. As is Baby Fold tradition, there were no restrictions based on race, color, or creed. All were welcome. No child was denied services because of a lack of financial resources.

A highly trained team of speech therapists, physical therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and more created custom treatment plans unique for each child’s needs. The number of children at the Child Development Center continued to grow and the center expanded in 1974 to accommodate more children.

That same year, Rev. and Mrs. William A. Hammitt retired after 35 years of service to The Baby Fold. A dinner was held in their honor, celebrating the couple's countless accolades. Rev. Hammitt was named “Man of the Year” in 1943 and “Outstanding Citizen of the Year” in 1971. The dinner’s program booklet stated that “the names ‘Hammitt’ and ‘The Baby Fold’ are almost synonymous, not only throughout Central Illinois, but across the length and breadth of this land.” 

We can’t end our look at the 1970s without mentioning a cherished tradition that began in July 1979...The Baby Fold’s Summer Camp. Children from the Child Development Center visited Lake Bloomington daily for a week to enjoy therapeutic camp activities such as swimming, canoeing, crafts, and nature walks. The Summer Camp is still held each year and enjoyed by Hammitt Elementary School students and teachers.

Given its success, are you wondering why we don’t mention the Child Development Center today? We’ll tell you about that next month as we continue our journey into the 1980s…

(Reference: The Baby Fold: An Investment In Humanity, by Elizabeth Glidden, 1992, and The Pantagraph)

The Baby Fold’s Community Schools Program began in 2015 and brings together all of the stakeholders in a child's life (school, families, and community) and provides a structure for them to create and achieve a shared vision for each child. Social workers from The Baby Fold are embedded in Cedar Ridge and Fairview Elementary Schools to identify and support trauma-impacted children and their families. These social workers help families and schools connect and understand each other so the child is safe and well at home and school. When students have their needs met, class stress levels decrease and teachers can spend more time educating all students in the classroom. Improvements in behavioral health and academic scores are significant.

Here are some fast facts on Community Schools: 

• Lead Community Schools Coordinator, Rebecca Kinsey, shared her expertise at the National Community Schools & Family Engagement Conference in Los Angeles earlier this year. She presented alongside other stakeholders who are dedicated to the community school model and academic success for all children.
• In 2021, both Cindy and Rebecca were recognized at a Unit 5 School Board meeting for their work with Unit 5 students. They were honored with the “Those Who Excel Award for Excellence.”
• Lori Harrison, the former principal of Fairview Elementary School, attests, “Any school would benefit from this program and we are thankful that Fairview is one of the lucky ones.”
• This past winter, The Baby Fold's Community School Program kept 20 families out of homelessness.

By bringing together all the stakeholders in student success, coordinating access to resources and supports, and expanding learning time so students can master core concepts and skills, Community Schools ensures that barriers to learning are removed and resources are maximized.