REMARKABLE!

Webster’s dictionary defines remarkable as “worthy of attention; striking.”  What a powerful word.  One of my favorite things about working at Crittenton Centers is all of the remarkable people I have the opportunity to meet, people who are worthy of attention for many different reasons.  From the children and parents I interact with on a daily basis, to the community partners and volunteers who generously give of their time and resources to support the work, everyone has a common vision -- successful children and families living in a safe, vibrant community!  This is what we work toward every single day and we absolutely could not do it without community support. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Todd and Mandy from the Painters District Council 30.  These two remarkable individuals are a part of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, and they were looking for an opportunity to give back to the community.  Todd, the Director of Employer Recruitment and Retention for the organization, was willing to hear suggestions for projects, and Mandy had one. 

Mandy knew of Crittenton Centers, because she was one of the individuals who painted our building when it was built in 2004.  In fact, it was one of her first professional painting jobs.  She identified with the services we offered, and felt she could relate to the situations of many of the clients, being a single mother herself.  Twelve years later, Crittenton Centers came back to mind when her group was looking for a project, and she and Todd reached out.

They came in early April for a tour, and listened to the needs we currently have.  They asked us to identify some painting priorities and they would see what they could do.  In addition to providing all of the labor for the project, they would provide the paint and supplies.  Remarkable!  For a non-profit agency who strives to steward our physical resources well, this was such a gift.

On April 16^th, a crew of twelve people arrived with the goal of painting 2 Child Development Center classrooms, a Crisis Nursery bedroom, and a large section of our indoor playcourt.   They quickly completed the task and made a promise to return in the future.  All totaled, their donation of time and materials was right at $7,000!!! 

PDC 30 was at Crittenton Centers as part of the #IUPAT Community Day of Action!

These are the heroes of our community and our organization.  They often do not receive public recognition, and truthfully, they don’t do it for that reason.  They simply want to help in achieving the vision.  They want to support our work of protecting and nurturing children and families because they know it is the only way to strengthen our overall community.  We are so grateful to Todd, Mandy and the entire crew.  We sincerely thank you for your generosity!  You are remarkable.

Keri Hattan
Vice President & COO