Why Donate to us?
That’s a question that everyone asks themselves when they are solicited,
given that there are hundreds of good causes, and only a limited number of charity dollars. Once you find something close to your heart, the next question is usually how well the organization spends your money. What are administrative costs? How much of the donation goes to support the program? Do they utilize volunteers well? These are things we would like to briefly address, because we feel our organization is unique in several ways.
Some Background:
Esplanade House founder’s Greg Webb and Dr. Gary Incaudo started a Children’s Fund in 1992 to support the health and well being of children living at the shelter. Over time, it expanded to include services they felt were critical to ensuring success for families,( like work training and counseling services) that weren’t being funded at the time through Community Action Agency (CAA). As the managing agency, CAA represents the publicly funded arm of the Esplanade House organization, and as such is at the mercy of state and federal grant programs. The Esplanade House Children’s Fund represents the private sector arm, that can guarantee ( with your help!) that services are provided regardless of the ebb and flow of grant money. This unique partnership is the reason we have full control of how, when, and where our dollars are used.
What About Administrative Costs?
First of all, we are a small 501c 3 non-profit organization. The Esplanade House Children's Fund Board is all volunteer with no paid executive director or employees. We handle the private sector dollars that are raised for the Esplanade House, whether it comes through the mail from our bi-annual newsletter, is donated from an organization like Rotary or Soroptimists, or comes from a fundraising event. Webb Homes provides the EHCF accounting at no charge. Management of our data base, newsletter design, production, printing, materials and administration is also done on a volunteer basis, but (darn!) we do have to pay postage (about $300.00 annually). So, our administrative costs boil down to that.
So, How Are Those Dollars Used?
Our funds go directly through CAA earmarked specifically for Children’s Services. That means funding the salaries of the Children’s Center staff,
(which state licensing requires certain ratios for infants/toddlers, pre-schoolers, and school age children by) supplies, field trips, after-school programs, tutoring, and special needs/training. Although in the past we have been asked to help in other areas, this is no longer the case. Since the expansion and move to the new location, Children’s Services is the only part of the Esplanade House program that still does not have adequate funding.We have three times as many children to care for than we did at our former location.
So, we do hope you consider supporting our efforts. We not only run lean and mean, we know that for every child at the Esplanade House, there is one less foster child in the system, and one more child that has a chance to grow up as a productive member of society.
Wish List
- Hand sanitizer wall units
- Teething rings
- Construction paper
- Finger paint
- Finger paint paper
- Art drying rack
- Toddler tricycles
- Cleaning kits for move in
- Copy paper
- Games
- Art supplies
- Snacks after school program
- Cleaning supplies’
- Non perishable food
- Toiletries: shampoo, razors, deodorant
- Towels
- Door mats for entries of apartments
- Mops
- Brooms
- Kitchen utensils
- Gently used area rugs
- Dressers
- Cribs