Whaley Children's Center
Encyclopedia
The Whaley Children's Center is a private agency that focuses on caring for children and families in crisis. It is located in Flint, Michigan
, neighboring Hurley Medical Center
. Whaley Children's Center offers a wide variety of services to meet the basic needs
of children and families in need.
in Detroit. While being inspired by his son's willingness to care for trouble children, Robert began to invest money into his will to build the Donald M. Whaley Home in memory of his son.
The Whaley Children's Center was built in 1926, with the leadership of Charles Stewart Mott
, who was the first president of the Whaley Foundation. Since the building of the Whaley Children's Center, there has been many additions. In 1955, a recreational building was added, which included; a gym, craft room, and two classrooms. In 1964, the Children's Center went under major renovations for the first time since 1926 to improve the overall appearance. In 1977, Whaley's Children Center was the first agency to provide a foster care
treatment program, that would provide children to live with specially trained families. During the same year, an educational center was also added to the recreational center. It included five classrooms, several offices and meeting rooms. In 1982, a special needs
adoption program was also a new addition.
Optimist
Established in 1994, the Optimist House is a program that focuses on six youth, ranging in ages 6–17 in a residential environment. With the support of many other agencies The Whaley's Children Center is able to provide these children with clothing, food, shelter and education. The youth that live in the Optimist House are able to get involved in community activities, and additional educational activities. The staff of the Optimist House work unexpected hours to keep the youth feeling safe and to keep the overall mission alive.
Rotary
The Rotary House was established in 1985. This group home
has a great amount of relation to the Optimist House. The Rotary House strives to provide youth between the ages of 6 to 17, a loving and nurturing environment for children. Six children have their own individual room in which they have chores and help prepare meals. The children also have the opportunity to be appointed a "job" for some extra cash.
Kiwanis
The Kiwanis House was established in 1989, focusing on emotionally disturbed children who may have endured neglect
, physical abuse
, and/or sexual abuse
. Its focus is to provide a support system and structure. The Kiwanis House has recently been transformed into a boys home, with ages ranging from 11-17. The goal of the Kwinis House is to teach the young men independent living
skills, help them develop personal responsibilities, and empower them to become successful leaders. All referring back to the overall mission of the Whaley Children's Center. Children typically stay here 6–12 months, afterwards moving into an adoptive family, or with their biological family.
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, neighboring Hurley Medical Center
Hurley Medical Center
Hurley Medical Center is a teaching hospital serving Genesee, Lapeer, and Shiawassee counties in eastern Michigan since December 19, 1908. Situated in Flint, Michigan, it is a 443-bed public non-profit hospital...
. Whaley Children's Center offers a wide variety of services to meet the basic needs
Basic needs
The basic needs approach is one of the major approaches to the measurement of absolute poverty. It attempts to define the absolute minimum resources necessary for long-term physical well-being, usually in terms of consumption goods. The poverty line is then defined as the amount of income...
of children and families in need.
History
The Whaley Children's Center was conceived as an idea in the late 1880s by a man named Robert J. Whaley. Robert was inspired to open a children's center by the death of his son(Donald M. Whaley) at the age of eleven. His son was saving his earnings to voluntarily give to a children's orphanageOrphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in Detroit. While being inspired by his son's willingness to care for trouble children, Robert began to invest money into his will to build the Donald M. Whaley Home in memory of his son.
The Whaley Children's Center was built in 1926, with the leadership of Charles Stewart Mott
Charles Stewart Mott
Charles Stewart Mott was a businessman, philanthropist and the 50th and 55th Mayor of Flint, Michigan.-Early life:...
, who was the first president of the Whaley Foundation. Since the building of the Whaley Children's Center, there has been many additions. In 1955, a recreational building was added, which included; a gym, craft room, and two classrooms. In 1964, the Children's Center went under major renovations for the first time since 1926 to improve the overall appearance. In 1977, Whaley's Children Center was the first agency to provide a foster care
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
treatment program, that would provide children to live with specially trained families. During the same year, an educational center was also added to the recreational center. It included five classrooms, several offices and meeting rooms. In 1982, a special needs
Special needs
In the USA, special needs is a term used in clinical diagnostic and functional development to describe individuals who require assistance for disabilities that may be medical, mental, or psychological. For instance, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International...
adoption program was also a new addition.
Mission
Whaley Children's Center serves troubled youth, teaching them how to succeed as individuals, by providing continuity of care across all programs and supporting them with the resources so they can reach their potential.OptimistOptimist InternationalOptimist International is an international service club organization with 3,200 clubs and almost 100,000 members in more than 35 nations throughout the world. The international headquarters is located in St...
House
Established in 1994, the Optimist House is a program that focuses on six youth, ranging in ages 6–17 in a residential environment. With the support of many other agencies The Whaley's Children Center is able to provide these children with clothing, food, shelter and education. The youth that live in the Optimist House are able to get involved in community activities, and additional educational activities. The staff of the Optimist House work unexpected hours to keep the youth feeling safe and to keep the overall mission alive.RotaryRotary InternationalRotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
House
The Rotary House was established in 1985. This group homeGroup home
A group home is a private residence designed or converted to serve as a non-secure home for unrelated persons who share a common characteristic.-Types of group homes:...
has a great amount of relation to the Optimist House. The Rotary House strives to provide youth between the ages of 6 to 17, a loving and nurturing environment for children. Six children have their own individual room in which they have chores and help prepare meals. The children also have the opportunity to be appointed a "job" for some extra cash.
KiwanisKiwanisKiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
House
The Kiwanis House was established in 1989, focusing on emotionally disturbed children who may have endured neglectNeglect
Neglect is a passive form of abuse in which a perpetrator is responsible to provide care for a victim who is unable to care for himself or herself, but fails to provide adequate care....
, physical abuse
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
, and/or sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
. Its focus is to provide a support system and structure. The Kiwanis House has recently been transformed into a boys home, with ages ranging from 11-17. The goal of the Kwinis House is to teach the young men independent living
Independent living
Independent living, as seen by its advocates, is a philosophy, a way of looking at disability and society, and a worldwide movement of people with disabilities working for self-determination, self-respect and equal opportunities...
skills, help them develop personal responsibilities, and empower them to become successful leaders. All referring back to the overall mission of the Whaley Children's Center. Children typically stay here 6–12 months, afterwards moving into an adoptive family, or with their biological family.