Sam Millen

By MICHELE MILLER HOUCK
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson-Cornelius Day Care Center is looking for eight Day Care Heroes as it tries to make up a big budget shortfall that could force it to close its doors. The effort seeks to raise $64,000 by Sept. 11 so it can continue paying its eight employees and continue providing care for the 27 children who rely on its services.

Supporters of the center hope to find local churches or civic groups willing to pledge $2,000 a month for the next four months to keep the doors open while the board restructures its  business model. Read the full story

One of a series of articles on DavidsonNews.net focusing on nonprofits, needs, and people who are helping.

For 40 years, Davidson-Cornelius Day Care on Gamble Street on Davidson’s West Side has provided weekday care, meals and other services for pre-school children from a diverse mix of working families.

Now, the well-loved community institution is threatened. The weak economy has hurt enrollments, insurance costs are rising sharply and a state program that long funded care for low-income families has all but dried up, leaving board members scrambling to keep the center open.

“We’re going to run out of money this week,” board President Carol Higham said Friday. “We’re holding on to the cliff by our fingernails.”
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Davidson-Cornelius Day Care on Gamble Street on Davidson’s West Side has always been a unique place, bringing together preschoolers from diverse backgrounds and income levels. This year, the kids have had a new activity to look forward to – weekly visits by Liz Hickey, Kindermusik instructor from Davidson United Methodist Church. The church’s music ministry raised money to pay for the program, which Ms. Hickey says will return in September.

To watch a multimedia report about the program, read on.

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