Does this picture make you want to fill in the speech bubble? Do you want to give that little guy the ability to speak? Nancy Stevens, head of our speech and language therapy team, has been doing just that for over 35 years. Nancy has helped hundreds of Hammitt School children "find their voice" through speech and language services. Nearly half of our students have delays in speech and language for a variety of reasons- autism, learning disabilities, brain damage due to trauma, or other neurological issues. Our speech and language specialists always "find a way" to help students open the door to communication. Nancy loves to tell about the day she met a former student at a mall. She didn't recognize the young man- after all it had been 20 years since she had seen him in her office. He smiled at Nancy and said, "Don't you remember me? You taught me to talk!"

Every child wants and deserves a healthy home. Every parent wants to care for their child. But sometimes families have a hard time weathering the storms of life that can affect us all. The Baby Fold staff are determined to help families of residential children create a stable environment so that these kids can come home.
"This is her last chance. If we can't help Renee and her family, she will have to go to another residential facility. Time is running out for this family." This urgency created a program we like to call "Home or Bust!" for residential kids and their families who need intensive care in their homes. Renee had been placed in other residential treatment centers, foster homes, and had even been hospitalized because she was so unsafe in her home. Our skilled and compassionate residential staff worked hard to help Renee get control of her emotions and her behavior. They met frequently with her mom to help her learn how to manage her own issues and to create a safe and stable home for the whole family.  In our Home or Bust program, we build a bridge between The Baby Fold and the child's home. The  staff from our residential treatment center go with the child to their homes for visits to model, teach, and give feedback. But just as important, they listen and learn what works in a particular child's family. By working together- parent, child, and staff- we can accomplish what seemed impossible. Renee's mom said it beautifully, "I would never have been able to have my daughter home with me if The Baby Fold hadn't helped us."

If you want a better community where all families are at their best, click here to help support our programs that strengthen families.

When we get hungry, really hungry, we sometimes get a little cranky. OK, maybe very cranky. It's amazing what a snack can do to improve our mood. Imagine, you're a child who doesn't have enough food. If you went to school with an empty stomach, how ready to learn would you be? Every child served by The Baby Fold gets breakfast at their school. Lori Mason and her staff work tirelessly to get breakfast bags to our schools so that every child starts their day with a nutritious meal. The impact is huge, especially for our children who have experienced neglect in their past. When a child's nutritional needs are not met, the child equates hunger with fear. This can cause a child to have behavior problems that are triggered by hunger. Having healthy food and water available all the time, helps kids (and teachers) have a better day!

The Baby Fold's 23rd Annual Festival of Trees will be held November 18-20, 2016 at The Interstate Center in Bloomington with a Sneak Peek Event on Thursday, November 17. Tickets go on sale October 1. Click here to get tickets and information.

Kathy Kujawa has been selected as our new Vice President of Business Operations. Kathy has outstanding credentials with strong communication skills and in-depth experience in leading organizations to improvement in operations and reductions in cost. She received her Master's Degree in Business Administration from Illinois State University and her B.S. in Accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University. Kathy has a long history of directing services in various Medicare Certified Home Health Care Programs. She also has experience in business systems and internal auditing. We welcome Kathy and her business acumen to The Baby Fold.