St. Joseph's Home is seeking fiscal support for our crèche program. We extend an invitation to have you visit St. Joseph's to better understand the nature of the work we do, and the reasons why we need the type of support we are requesting. We want you to be sure that your donation is being put to good use, and that it is making a difference in the lives of the children we care for.

We receive no government funding to support our crèche program. Last year, due to a lack of funds we were not able to fill the assistant teacher's position. This year, we are dedicating all of our efforts to make sure that our crèche program is funded, and for that, we need good people and good organizations to join our effort.

Project objectives:

To make up for the developmental delays of very young children who suffer from chronic medical conditions and have spent a large amount of time in a hospital setting.

Impact of project:

• Prepare children for school
• Catch up on developmental delays
• Socialize children for a school environment
• Expanded service will keep children healthy

Requested Amount:

• Total amount needed:     R180 000 for one year of crèche funding or partial support as follows:
• Support one teacher at: R70 000
• Support one teacher's assistant: R54 000
• Support the Crèche operational expenses at: R56 000

Recognition would include:

• Naming Rights: You will receive naming rights at the entrance to the Crèche classrooms for the duration of your support.
• Media: You will be listed in our SJH Newsletter, on our website and in our Annual Report.
• E-mail Updates: At your request you will receive e-mail updates on the activities taking place by the children, and be invited to the annual talent show.

General information:

On average, we have up to 145 children in care, and of that number, we average 25 children attending our Crèche program. Research has provided overwhelming evidence that the environment in which children spend the first years of their lives has enormous consequences on their cognitive, emotional and physical development. Scholars estimate that half of all intellectual development potential is achieved by the age of four, with children being predisposed to fail or succeed at school before the child actually starts formal schooling.

At St. Joseph’s all of our children have had long stays at hospitals and have been isolated from play and stimulation due to their chronic medical conditions. This puts them at a disadvantage developmentally with compromised cognitive skills.This pre-disposes them to fail in school unless concerted efforts are made on their behalf. This is the reason why the Pallottine Sisters started the crèche program.

We do not want the children to win the medical battle, only to have them fail in school. Without our Crèche program their self-esteem already compromised by their medical condition would suffer greatly.

Going back over 10 years, we have seen the positive results of our crèche program, with the children learning the difference between big and small, the colours of the rainbow, a mastering of language skills, basic counting, and the social skills singing, playing, learning to share, and listening skills. The children also develop motor skills particularly to the hands, eye-hand coordination, and large motor skills.

We receive no government subsidy to support our crèche program. Our program has a full time teacher, and a full time teacher's assistant. Since the inception of the program we have relied on the support of donors to fund this program. Today, with mounting government cutbacks, St. Joseph’s needs your help more than ever.

Please help fund our Crèche program for the 2011-2012 school year.

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Get Involved

• I would love to dedicate my donation by credit card to this project.
• I would love to dedicate my donation (postal or through wire) to this project.
• Contact us about this proposal.