ACCA Child Development Center relies heavily on volunteers and donations
The ACCA Child Development Center in central Annandale depends
heavily on contributions from its corporate and nonprofit partners to carry out
its mission—providing high-quality, affordable care to young children.
heavily on contributions from its corporate and nonprofit partners to carry out
its mission—providing high-quality, affordable care to young children.
The center serves 183 babies, toddlers, and preschool-age
children in the ACCA (Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) building
on Columbia Pike. ACCA, an alliance of 26 local churches, provides assistance
to the needy through a variety of programs, and provides support to the CDC.
Many of the children served by the CDC are from disadvantaged families and
wouldn’t be able to come to the center without financial support.
children in the ACCA (Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA) building
on Columbia Pike. ACCA, an alliance of 26 local churches, provides assistance
to the needy through a variety of programs, and provides support to the CDC.
Many of the children served by the CDC are from disadvantaged families and
wouldn’t be able to come to the center without financial support.
One of the CDC’s top goals is to strengthen its connections
with the community, says Executive Director Maria Isabel Ballivian.
with the community, says Executive Director Maria Isabel Ballivian.
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| Meals are provided by Fairfax County Public Schools. |
Several major collaborative projects took place in 2012. Southern Management, the company that manages the Parliaments apartments in Annandale, helped
with landscaping, donated supplies, and brought 50 volunteers for a day of
community service last fall. The volunteers painted stairwells and playground
benches, installed a basketball hoop, and worked in the CDC’s gardens.
with landscaping, donated supplies, and brought 50 volunteers for a day of
community service last fall. The volunteers painted stairwells and playground
benches, installed a basketball hoop, and worked in the CDC’s gardens.
The Gannett Foundation installed equipment and a soft rubber
floor for an outdoor playground just for babies and contributed a
“musical playground” for toddlers with things like drums and xylophones. The
CDC also collaborated with Wolf Trap to stage three large volunteer events.
floor for an outdoor playground just for babies and contributed a
“musical playground” for toddlers with things like drums and xylophones. The
CDC also collaborated with Wolf Trap to stage three large volunteer events.
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| The Child Development Center is full of children’s artworks. |
In November, Hilton Worldwide, Volunteer Fairfax, and the
Points of Light Foundation brought 100 volunteers to the CDC to install a
picture-hanging system for displaying children’s artwork throughout the
building and a storage system.
Points of Light Foundation brought 100 volunteers to the CDC to install a
picture-hanging system for displaying children’s artwork throughout the
building and a storage system.
Hilton has also promised to put in new hands-free faucets on
classroom and restroom sinks throughout the CDC. Steinhorst Plumbing of
Annandale donated four of those faucets.
classroom and restroom sinks throughout the CDC. Steinhorst Plumbing of
Annandale donated four of those faucets.
Hands-free faucets will prevent cross-contamination and thus
reduce the number of days children are out sick, says Ballivian. That’s
critical because of a new state rule that takes away parents’ daycare
subsidies if their child misses more than 20 days a year.
reduce the number of days children are out sick, says Ballivian. That’s
critical because of a new state rule that takes away parents’ daycare
subsidies if their child misses more than 20 days a year.
Last year, more than 10 children lost their subsidy because
they missed too many days due to sickness, she said. When that happens,
the parents have to pay the full cost, and many can’t afford it, so their children have to leave. Children with special needs or weak immune systems
are especially vulnerable to this requirement.
they missed too many days due to sickness, she said. When that happens,
the parents have to pay the full cost, and many can’t afford it, so their children have to leave. Children with special needs or weak immune systems
are especially vulnerable to this requirement.
Under another state law, passed in 2012, a parent who loses a job
or has their working hours cut back could lose their child care subsidy. That
makes Virginia one of only five states that doesn’t provide child care
assistance to people looking for a job. That’s a real hardship for parents with irregular work
schedules who rely on the CDC for child care. For example, if a person works on
weekends and has a day off during the week, the subsidy won’t cover that day.
It also doesn’t cover times when the CDC isn’t open, like during spring break.
or has their working hours cut back could lose their child care subsidy. That
makes Virginia one of only five states that doesn’t provide child care
assistance to people looking for a job. That’s a real hardship for parents with irregular work
schedules who rely on the CDC for child care. For example, if a person works on
weekends and has a day off during the week, the subsidy won’t cover that day.
It also doesn’t cover times when the CDC isn’t open, like during spring break.
As a result of these laws, there are a lot of transitions, with
children continually coming and going. “That changes the dynamic in the
classroom,” says Jennifer Shaw, the
operations director. “You put a lot of work into child development, and then
you have a lot of turnover.”
children continually coming and going. “That changes the dynamic in the
classroom,” says Jennifer Shaw, the
operations director. “You put a lot of work into child development, and then
you have a lot of turnover.”
It’s especially disruptive for children receiving special
services, like speech pathology or occupational therapy, Ballivian adds. When
the parents of those children lose their subsidy, they usually send their
children to a grandmother, who can’t provide those services, and all the
progress made with that child is lost. “It really hurts us as teachers when
that happens,” Shaw says.
services, like speech pathology or occupational therapy, Ballivian adds. When
the parents of those children lose their subsidy, they usually send their
children to a grandmother, who can’t provide those services, and all the
progress made with that child is lost. “It really hurts us as teachers when
that happens,” Shaw says.
And it’s really hard to explain to a child why they can’t
come to school anymore and be with their friends and the teachers who’ve helped
them become a “confident little person,” says Ballivian. “The hardest thing I
have to do is say goodbye to a child and close the door knowing there’s nothing
we can do to help them.”
come to school anymore and be with their friends and the teachers who’ve helped
them become a “confident little person,” says Ballivian. “The hardest thing I
have to do is say goodbye to a child and close the door knowing there’s nothing
we can do to help them.”
She would like to be able to offer scholarships to help
families in those situations, but doesn’t have the funding to do that.
families in those situations, but doesn’t have the funding to do that.
The CDC also provides additional services for families, such as parenting
classes and holiday parties. Last year, the center hosted a health fair for the
community with support from United Way and free health screenings from Kaiser
Permanente.
classes and holiday parties. Last year, the center hosted a health fair for the
community with support from United Way and free health screenings from Kaiser
Permanente.
Tuition at the CDC is lower than other area day care
centers. The weekly cost is $215 for preschool-age children, $240 for toddlers,
and $285 for infants. Most parents get a subsidy based on household income,
with some paying as little as $20 a week or $5 a week for an infant. About 10 percent pay the full fee. Ballivian would like to
increase that to 25 percent to promote more stability. Most of the children come from the Annandale, Bailey’s
Crossroads, and Springfield areas, although there are some from all over the
county.
centers. The weekly cost is $215 for preschool-age children, $240 for toddlers,
and $285 for infants. Most parents get a subsidy based on household income,
with some paying as little as $20 a week or $5 a week for an infant. About 10 percent pay the full fee. Ballivian would like to
increase that to 25 percent to promote more stability. Most of the children come from the Annandale, Bailey’s
Crossroads, and Springfield areas, although there are some from all over the
county.
The CDC relies on lots of support from individual volunteers
who do art and music projects with the children and work in the garden. Donations
from the community are always welcome, especially clothing and diapers,
Ballavian said. Contact her via email if you would like to help.
who do art and music projects with the children and work in the garden. Donations
from the community are always welcome, especially clothing and diapers,
Ballavian said. Contact her via email if you would like to help.
2 responses to “ACCA Child Development Center relies heavily on volunteers and donations”
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What this wonderful article does not mention is how the center rewards the people that put their sweat and blood into the center. In the past few years, ACCA released a person who had been with the group for 25 years. She was called in one day and just let go, with nary a thought. This person had been promoted only 6 months or so earlier to a higher position, something she worked for her entire career. When she asked to be placed in another job at the center, she was told she was unqualified for anything else. Imagine that, 25 years at ACCA and not qualified for anything else. Perhaps before people make their contributions, they should evaluate those running this establishment and how they treat those that gave their all for the place. I think it says a lot…
That is right – people should evaluate the nonprofits to which they contribute.
The ACCA Board of Directors is comprised of volunteers from participating congregations from all over Annandale. They have Board representatives who work directly with the ACCA CDC. I'm sure that they would be happy to answer any questions about the qualifications of their staff members who work with (or for) the children in the Center.
(And let's bear in mind that there are certainly TWO sides to any story of why an employee might be let go from their job, and it's not appropriate or legal for ACCA to comment on an employee's work record)