A few years ago, members of the Haven House team sat down to put together a wish list. When they wrote the list, the item at the top said “Playground.”
Thanks to the generosity of the Josephine Goodyear Foundation and the Russel Family Charitable Trust, families can now be found playing together on that playground all throughout the day.
“We were looking for something that would let the kids just be kids. Maybe, for a little while, they won’t be thinking about why they are here,” said Connie Logan, Office & Data Manager at Haven House. “The playground brings more fun into everyone’s lives.”
“I work right above the playground,” said Phuong Brady, Shelter Manager at Haven House. “This past week, I have been opening my window just to listen to all the laughter. It has been a gamechanger for the kids and parents.”
When a domestic violence survivor is at Haven House, the staff wants to help them feel secure by providing a sense of normalcy. The newly installed playground represents a traditional childhood joy, an outlet for the kids to unleash their energy.
“I feel like the courtyard is alive now. You will see kids and families out there almost any time of the day,” said Connie Logan. “Families in the shelter are taking their lunches and dinners out there. They are mingling with each other more. I just saw a mom out there with her three kids. She had taken a blanket out for a picnic while her kids were playing.”
Connie also told the story of a young boy with special needs whose family has been in and out of Haven House. She used to see him by the sprinkler, sitting by the water without much expression. After just a week with the playground, Connie says that she has already seen him running around with a big smile on his face several times.
“It just makes you feel great when you see that type of progress,” smiled Connie.
You can make stories like this possible by helping us reach our $30,000 goal for Give 716! Click here to support Child & Family Services on Give 716 Day. If you are interested in setting up an individual fundraising page for C&FS’s Give 716 campaign, click here. *Please note* Donations for Give 716 Day can only be given from 7:16PM on Thursday, June 14 through 7:16AM on Saturday, June 16.