| Special on the observer dispatch
Even as a little girl, Lisa Jones had a great ambition: to one day offer at least three children who had been given up for adoption a loving home, just like she was.
Her efforts came to fruition when she became a single mother for five years to Treyvone, Liela and Ahmen, who are now 13, 9 and 8 years old, respectively. As the New Hartford bank clerk explains, “My focus has always been on caring for the children, just as my mother did for me and the five other children she adopted.”
Having no relatives in the Mohawk Valley to help her with her job, Jones turned to Thea Bowman House, a Utica nonprofit that operates childcare centers at 731 Lafayette St. and the former St. Francis de Sales School. in 309 Genesee St. Both centers offer year-round licensed day care with toddler and preschool programs as well as food and transport for children aged 18 months to five years.
“I took my babies to the Lafayette Street facility as soon as they were old enough for the program,” said Jones. “The staff and volunteers have become my family. I don’t know what I would have done there without the wonderful care of the children.”
This year, Thea Bowman House is celebrating 35 years of good community service. During this time, the agency’s diverse programs have helped numerous low-income and culturally diverse families break the cycle of poverty by providing educational and social enrichment for children in a safe, caring environment. Notably, 95% of the participants come from households with single parents.
Jane Domingue, the agency’s meek executive director and dedicated director from the start, reflects on the organization’s significant milestone: “Perhaps the greatest joy I’ve had as a director is to witness the miracle that happens when this little one Child into an educated adult, a good parent, and a positive contribution to society. So many of the ‘alumni’ are in medical professions and others are social workers and teachers. ”
Domingue traces the center’s humble beginnings until 1986, when St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church on Lafayette Street made the difficult decision to permanently close their parish school. As the school’s first grade teacher, Domingue experienced firsthand the devastating impact of the closure on the neighborhood.
“The poor families have deeply lost the much-needed support they received from school, especially in looking after their children,” remembers Domingue.
With the help of several generous volunteers and a grant of US $ 10,000 earmarked for the project, Domingue converted the unused former monastery on the church campus into a day-care center. Officially unveiled on October 6, 1986, the aptly named Agape House (agape means unconditional love) opened its doors as an after-school program for 20 key public school children living in West Utica.
Since that humble beginning, the centre’s programs have expanded in number and scope and currently provide assistance to more than 300 children, many of whom are refugees, each year. In 1996, the Agape House was renamed Thea Bowman House in honor of its namesake, a descendant of late 20th century slaves and a member of the Wisconsin-based Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration – the parish’s first and only African-American nun. Through her writings, public speaking, and music, Sister Bowman worked to integrate people of all cultural backgrounds and provide them with quality education.
Founding volunteer Sandra Wright is the program director at the Genesee Street facility, where she oversees the free Universal Pre-K program and post-school programs for elementary and senior high school students. Wright emphasizes the importance of a strong educational foundation.
“The Pre-K program is an important building block, a cornerstone of education,” she said. “At this young age, children learn to be socially active in the classroom, stick to what they have to do … all keys to a solid academic future.”
Nevara Mazzaferro first saw the center as a four-year-old participating in the Pre-K program; The two and a half hour morning and afternoon courses sponsored by the Utica school district take place at both locations, in which certified teachers and qualified assistants prepare around 150 children for entry into the education system.
A sixth grader of Watson Williams Elementary School, Nevara can hardly contain her excitement when she announced her nomination for the school’s Young Scholars Award this spring, and credits Thea Bowman House’s tutoring program for her success.
“Science and math used to be so hard, but now I get an ‘E’ for excellence in math and reading because the teachers and volunteers have given me so much help,” she said.
The insightful 11-year-old adds, “But I also have to do my part to … get a good education that my mother would be so proud of me.”
Thea Bowman’s website proudly highlights the “remarkable stories” of alumni who “followed their dreams, sometimes against all odds”. Maria Htoo, Isabella Moo, and Julius Blackshear Jr. were some of the many participants in the Kids With Promise program for teenagers founded in 2002.
Maria, an American from the Karen (an ethnic minority from Burma / Myanmar and Thailand) whose family came to Utica in 2001 as part of the refugee relocation program, is now a newcomer to the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology. She credits her academic success to the many productive years she spent at Thea Bowman House. “I think it opened up a lot of opportunities for me,” she said. “By participating in so many activities at the center, I’ve learned discipline, citizenship, and especially leadership … I understand the importance of giving back to the community.”
Her sister Isabella Moo, who is graduating from Buffalo State College with a degree in International Relations, agrees when she shares her personal experiences.
“I felt welcome at Thea Bowman House with loving arms,” she said, remembering meeting adults who “wanted to listen to me when I was having problems … [and] encouraged me as I struggled … you were a family that taught me to grow and create different prospects. “
Isabella plans to contribute to the community by specializing in either environmental or immigration law.
The “prepay” philosophy also inspired Julius Blackshear Jr. to support fourth- through seventh-grade students at the center while he was in high school.
“Growing up as part of Thea Bowman has been very beneficial to me … and I had the opportunity to join the same organization that helped raise me. It felt great to give back, ”said the Department of Transportation civil engineer.
Blackshear also leads a group of like-minded alumni who have designed an alumni website that aims to teach 12-14 year olds basic life skills and encourage them to work hard in school and avoid gang-related activities.
Thea Bowman House looks ahead to meet future community needs by restoring support services such as Domestic Violence Ended (DOVE) and Movin ‘On Up, which provide childcare assistance to single parents seeking post-secondary education.
Domingue is deeply grateful for the generous support Thea Bowman House has received consistently from individual donors, corporations, and charitable foundations, as well as from city, regional, and state agencies including the Oneida County Department of Social Services, the New York State Health Department, United Way and The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc. The center is also grateful for the countless hours and unwavering help given by its dedicated volunteers.
Equally grateful are the families that Thea Bowman House has cared for in a compassionate and competent manner over the past three decades. Affirms adoptive mom Lisa Jones: “I often tell the staff and volunteers at Thea Bowman House that … even if no one else expresses gratitude for all the wonderful work they do to help our children and families, I will say for them, and also for my family. ”
Thea Bowman House
731 Lafayette St. and 309 Genesee St., both in Utica
Contact: Jane Domingue 315-797-0748 or jane@theabowmanhouse.org
Thea Bowman House gratefully accepts both monetary and in-kind donations at www.theabowmanhouse.org/donate
source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/thea-bowman-house-offers-refugee-low-income-services-for-children/
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