Children’s Village   eNews - Fall 2007

Welcome to Children's Village e-News. We are pleased to present our third edition of our online newsletter.


CV’s Mission: The mission of Children’s Village is to provide high quality early childhood education to young children and educational enrichment to school age children in a safe, nurturing setting while their parents work, to partner with families of diverse backgrounds to prepare their children for productive futures while supporting and strengthening families in this pursuit, and to strive to make high-quality child care accessible to families at all economic levels.

Children's Village Holds Annual Fundraiser
"Cooking Up Opportunities for the Village"
A Celebration of Food with Top Philadelphia Chefs

Children’s Village held its annual fundraiser, “Cooking Up Opportunities for the Village” on June 21 at WHYY Studios drawing more than 200 guests. The evening festivities celebrated the cuisine of ten notable chefs in Philadelphia as well as wine and beer tasting provided by Moore Brothers and Victory Brewing. Honoree, Kathy O’Connell, WXPN radio show host of Kid’s Corner, along with emcee, Captain Noah, long-time favorite children’s television host, captivated the audience with word and song. The event included an exciting silent auction that drew bids for sought after items like tickets to Rachel Ray’s cooking show and the Philadelphia Orchestra, autographed sports memorabilia from Philadelphia’s sports teams, as well as luxurious get-aways and certificates for fabulous restaurants. Guests also vied for a chance to win airline tickets in a raffle drawing. Monica Lettner Jazz Ensemble provided great music to top off the evening, making it remarkable in all ways. Hats off to board members and event co-chairs, Maureen Brady and Denise Killen for their endless hours of work that helped Children’s Village raise more than $40,000 for its programs. The evening would not have been possible without the assistance of Board member and celebrated chef, Joseph Poon. His idea of hosting an event with Philadelphia area chefs, combined with his expertise and the support of many of his colleagues, ensured an evening of sumptuous delight. Thanks Joe!

Children’s Village thanks the following chefs, individuals and businesses for making the evening a success:

Chef Bell, Senior Training Coordinator of Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP)
Chef Moon, Chabaa Thai Bistro Chef Delilah Winder, Delilah’s Southern Cuisine
Chef Lynn Buono, Feast Your Eyes
Chef Task Ming Wong, H.K. Golden Phoenix
Chef Kate McCaughey, Ida Mae’s Bruncherie
Chef Kristian Leuzzi, Kristian’s Ristorante
Chef John Marinelli, Rittenhouse Hotel
Chef Michael Chou, San Kee Peking Duck House
Chef Peter Fong, Singapore Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant
Chef Philip Pinkney, The Restaurant School

Bassett’s Ice Cream, Campbell’s Soup, Coca Cola, Iovine Brother’s Produce, Kamal’s Middle Eastern Specialties, Rita’s Water Ice at the Gallery, Starbucks, SYSCO


From left to right, Board member Caroline Welch, Captain Noah (Carter Merbreier), Board President Marcia Kung and Mrs. Merbreier enjoy a moment together.


Board members and event co-chairs, Maureen Brady (L) and Denise Killen (R) receive congratulations from Board President Marcia Kung for the success of “Cooking Up Opportunities for the Village”.

Cecilia Moy Yep and Eddie Kung enjoy “Cooking Up Opportunities for the Village.”

Honoree Kathy O’Connell,WXPN radio show host of Kids Corner, receives a gift from Children’s Village for her commitment to children.


Children’s Village Works for NAEYC Reaccreditation

Children’s Village is working towards reaccreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a laborious and lengthy process spanning more than two years that ensures the highest quality of education for young children. Over 400 accreditation criteria are involved in setting standards of excellence. Accreditation is the gold standard for early education centers and attaining it means that the program and staff are providing children the best that early education has to offer. Mary Graham, Executive Director, whose leadership is critical to attaining reaccreditation, says that “Children’s Village is committed to maintaining the highest standards of excellence no matter how much effort it requires. We are recognized nationally and regionally as one of the best early childhood centers and it is important for us and the early childhood community as a whole to maintain this quality of excellence. It means for our children, many who are low- income and second language learners, that they will have a greater opportunity for school readiness and school achievement and later life success. This is what we are working towards.”

Children’s Village is also committed to maintaining its Star 4 rating (the highest rating) by Keystone STARS, the state of Pennsylvania’s quality rating system which is similarly demanding in its expectations of meeting standards of excellence. While for some, it may be a formidable challenge, Children’s Village relishes the opportunity to review and strengthen aspects of its program to ensure its continued recognition as a model of excellence.


Children’s Village Site of Press Conference

On June 5th Children’s Village hosted a press conference in support of Governor Rendell’s budget proposal to increase funding for child care and for a pilot pre-k program for Pennsylvania. The conference was organized by Bruce Clasp of Fight Crime: Invest in Children. Both District Attorney Lynne Abraham and Police Commissioner Johnson spoke passionately about the need to allocate state funds for early education. Faced with some of the highest crime statistics in the nation, District Attorney Abraham and Commissioner Johnson said it made little sense to build more prisons and hire more police as a response to high crime rates since the issues of crime are closely related to poverty and education. Both stressed the need for a greater investment in early education funding so that more young children are prepared for school and have the opportunity to become successful students and get decent paying jobs. Children’s Village brings awareness that early opportunities for school success make a huge difference in the life of a child, family and broader community.


Early Childhood Community Helps Pass Governor Rendell’s Budget


The early childhood community continues to celebrate the recent passing of the state budget for fiscal year 2007 -2008 in Harrisburg. This budget allocates $75 million for the creation of a pilot pre-kindergarten program called PreK Counts Plus, the budget includes funds for higher reimbursement rates and the implementation of new tiered reimbursement rates for high quality subsidized child care. This means that centers meeting higher standards of excellence under Keystone STARS will receive more money than those lower ranked. Since Children’s Village is rated the highest ranking of four stars, this is good news for our organization.

Although many said the passage of this budget was impossible, staff at Children’s Village did not hold this view. For them, persistence in support of the budget was key. They recognized that the long term viability of their organization was at stake and the lives of so many young children in the state could be enhanced. Along with others in the early childhood community, they took action, taking every opportunity to write or speak about the need for budget passage. Several staff traveled to the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg as advocates of Pre-K education and supporters of Governor Rendell’s budget initiatives. Board President Marcia Kung and Executive Director Mary Graham headed efforts to galvanize other teachers at Children’s Village, asking them to participate in a mail campaign to their legislators, emphasizing the need for financial investment in early childhood education. In fact, over 400 letters were sent by friends, colleagues and family of staff members in support of the budget. Addressing staff, Mary Graham summed up their efforts, “It’s a tribute to your tenacity and that of the early childhood community that this budget was passed. It means that there will be 11,000 children in Pennsylvania who can now participate in pre-k programs and this is good for everyone. This allocation for young children is unprecedented and you can thank yourselves for making something so monumental happen in the state of Pennsylvania.”

With the implantation of the PreK Counts Program, Children’s Village received funding for 33 new slots. In September 07, we will offer a new part day, part year program for interested families. We will keep our staff and families updated as to what this new program means for Children’s Village and the children in Philadelphia.


Happenings at Children’s Village

PNC Selects Children’s Village as Recipient for New Library

Children’s Village is pleased to announce that it has been selected as PNC’s choice in Center City to receive a new library. PNC’s Rebecca Quinn-Wolf, Assistant Vice President, Community Relations Manager, notified Children’s Village that it was selected to receive a PNC Grow Up Great Library equipped with book shelves, reading chair, framed posters and new books as part of its “Grow Up Great initiative, a ten year $100 million investment in children from birth to age five. Volunteers from PNC will paint, assemble bookshelves, hang framed posters, and from an employee led Book Drive, will then fill the shelves with brand new books. Children’s Village plans on utilizing adjoining space between two classrooms for the site of its new library. Work is planned for September with a dedication ceremony to be held shortly thereafter. “Thrilled can’t possibly express how we all feel. We have always wanted a “real” library for our children replete with books to span all their ages in both Chinese and English. We have also wanted to provide parents with more books in Chinese. This is a tremendous opportunity for which we are very grateful” stated Mary Graham.


Executive Director Mary Graham and Teacher Felicia Lai Speak at National Conference

Executive Director Mary Graham and CV lead teacher Felicia Lai spoke at the NAEYC Professional Development Conference in Pittsburgh in June. The conference drew early childhood professionals from all over the United States and as far away as Singapore. Mary spoke about the benefits CV has gained from staff participation in the TEACH Program (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) which provides financial support to individuals wanting to become early childhood teachers. Felicia spoke about her experiences in the TEACH program and how she was able to attain her goal of being a lead teacher in a classroom of young children. Coming from Canton, China several years ago with no English speaking skills, Felicia was looking for a better life and found it through this program. TEACH catapulted Felicia into a new life from hotel worker to early childhood teacher with plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree. According to Felicia, the TEACH program encourages people to educate themselves, making them better qualified and practicing early childhood teachers. For her, it was a way to gain an associate’s degree, while benefiting the young children in her classroom. A role model for her children and an inspiring example for her co-workers, Felicia’s love of learning combined with her determination reinforce the belief that “where there is a will, there is a way.”


Children’s Village Receives Capital Grant Award for Noise Level Reduction

Thanks to the support of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, Children’s Village received a grant of $22,000 to install sound baffles to reduce noise levels due to high ceilings and exposed decks in its spacious classrooms. The goal was to remedy the sound levels so that an ordinary conversation could be heard without raising one’s voice. The installation of sound baffles significantly lowered the noise level, ensuring that Children’s Village is in accordance with standards set by NAEYC.


School Age Summer Program Bursts with Energy and Excitement

The School Age Program, full day during the summer, winds down as another successful season comes to an end. 115 children participated in the summer program offering an extravaganza of interest clubs, field trips, sports and physical fitness and other fun stuff that kids love to do. Did you ever watch baby chicks hatch from eggs? Well, thanks to Quiver Farms, the school-aged children kept a dozen eggs warm and observed 11 of them crack open to lively baby chicks. The consensus was that it was “awesome”. The children also participated in the Bridge Theatre’s Book Worm Program which allows them to see a movie on Wednesday mornings. Cost of admission was a written book report each week.

In the summer program, children identify their personal interests and as a group, help determine types of theme clubs in which they participate. The interest of several girls who decided they wanted to learn sewing, resulted in a “stitch” club taught by expert seamstress Nikki Benton, a teacher in the program. Children also opted to participate in a film making club in which they learned to create a digital movie of their own direction and acting. Cooking was also a big draw for those intrigued with mathematical proportion and how it is applied to create mouth watering dishes. Budding scientists visited Rittenhouse Town in Wissahickon, a 200 year old mill and science center. Our future artisans engaged in artistic expression including the technique of silk screening. Finally, what would summer be without baseball, one of our favorite past times? Children in the program joined other fans to watch the Phillies and Sharks play ball, creating another memorable occasion.

Beginning September 2007 the School Age Program will begin its school year operation with after school hours and a focus on homework help and academic enrichment. Due to tremendous enrollment growth over the last few years and limited space availability, the School Age Program will only serve children in grades kindergarten through third grade. With most parents working, quality care for school age children is an absolute necessity. Children’s Village’s School Age Program continues to fulfill a great need in the community because of the limited opportunities for children during after school hours.


Board News

Board of Directors


  • We are sad to announce the death of long-time friend and board member, Philip Bogatin who died in June. He was a dynamic and caring individual who consistently worked at making the lives better for children at Children’s Village. Philip Bogatin will be remembered for his dedication and insight as well as his wonderful sense of humor. “His contribution to the Board of Directors and to Children’s Village was immense and we will miss his presence” says Mary Graham. “We are grateful to have had his involvement for so long.”

  • Heartfelt thanks to departing board members for their service and dedication. We will miss the spirit and friendship of Joseph Poon and wish him the very best. A special thank you to Erin O’Neill for her service to the Board of Directors.

  • Children’s Village’s dedicated board continues to grow in talent and size and we welcome the following individuals: Denise Killen, Senior Vice President, PNC Corporate Finance; and Maureen Brady, Marketing Director at The Gallery at Market East; Chris Bowman, Executive Director of Development and Quality Management at The Amoore Group; Teisa Brown, Assistant to the Provost for Faculty Services at Haverford College and Lily Zhao, owner of Target Mortgage Inc. and Target Realty LLC to our Board of Directors.



Fund-raising / Friend-raising

Foundation Visits and Awards

Children’s Village hosted several visits by foundations including the L. W. Pierce Foundation, the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, the Connelly Foundation and the Philadelphia Foundation among others. We are thrilled that representatives of these foundations came to tour and engage in conversations about our early childhood and school age programs and the future direction of Children’s Village. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss challenges confronting Children’s Village and the many successes we have experienced in serving our constituency over thirty-one years.

Like most non-profit organizations, Children’s Village relies on the generosity of foundations to support our programs and services. We consider ourselves fortunate to benefit from the support of numerous foundations in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Thank you to the Bridge Educational Foundation, Citizens Bank, Connelly Foundation, Danellie Foundation, Samuel S. Fels Fund, Fourjay Foundation, Hamilton Family Foundation, Hassel Foundation, Patricia Kind Family Foundation, Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation, Lindback Foundation, Myer Shandelman Trust, Nonprofit Finance Fund, PEW Charitable Trusts, Rentschler Foundation, Sand Family Fund, Joseph K. Skilling Foundation, Union Benevolent Association, and Victory Foundation. Their help over the past fiscal year has ensured continued quality programming and improvements at Children’s Village.

We also wish to recognize the generosity of several corporations and organizations that have supported Children’s Village over the past year including American Financial Realty, Asian Bank, From the Heart, Kaiserman Community, Lockheed Martin ECSF, Macy’s East, PNC Financial Services Group, Office Depot, Prudential, Republic First Bank, Saturday Club, United Way, Wolf Block and Wyeth. We value these partnerships and contributions that help us remain committed to our mission of providing quality early education to young children.


Children’s Village Continues to Seek New Partners with Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Tax Credit Initiative

Children’s Village has successfully participated in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program for the last three years. This program which allocated $8 million for fiscal year 2007-2008, allows businesses to designate a portion of their state income tax liability to approved Pre-K scholarship organizations. Businesses receive a dollar for dollar credit up to $10,000 and 90% thereafter, up to a maximum of $100,000. The state program is good for Pennsylvania businesses and good for Pennsylvania’s preschool children. As word has spread about the state initiative, an increased number of early childhood programs are participating, making it more competitive to receive money from these state funds. Last year, Children’s Village was pleased to receive over $50,000 in Pre-K tax credit monies and hopes to increase this amount next year.

If you know of a company which may be interested in this initiative, please contact Susan Frankel at 215.931.0196 or Debbie Wojno at 215.922.1737. Thank you for your support of Children’s Village.


United Way Number: Children’s Village United Way Number is 1182

Participation in the United Way Donor Campaign allows you to support Children’s Village.

Please designate Children’s Village Child Care Center as your organization of choice in the United Way’s Donor Choice Program when you give to United Way.

Our United Way Number is 1182.


Matching Gifts Employer Programs

Children’s Village encourages all of its donors to look into employer matching gift programs.

Contact your employer’s Human Resources Department for specific information. We ask that you please consider participating in Employer Matching Gift Programs since this will increase your gift to CV. Again, thanks for supporting Children’s Village.

We are grateful for your support which helps us fulfill our mission. We continue to depend on the generosity of foundations, corporations, government and individual donors to provide quality early childhood education programs. Please accept a heartfelt thank you from over 300 children and their families and from all the staff and Board members for your help in 2006.



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