Bayhealth childcare prekindergarten supports Mom’s House

The prekindergarten class at Bayhealth’s childcare center brainstormed big ideas to make their graduation special for their parents. With the help of teachers Carie Harper and Karen McConnell, they raised enough money from their vegetable sale to treat their parents and support a local childcare center in need. The spirit of giving has blossomed in this young group, and they're learning at a young age to live out Bayhealth's mission of improving the health of everyone in their community.

“The childcare center plants a vegetable garden each year, but most of our produce wasn’t ready yet,” said Harper. “Our class of 20 students collected donations of vegetables instead.” They staffed a successful vegetable sale May 18 at the center, selling out and raising $263, far surpassing their $40 goal.

Harper encouraged students to consider what they could do with the extra money. They decided to help some neighbors in need at Mom’s House of Dover, a nonprofit that provides childcare services to low-income, single-parent families.

Bayhealth’s human resources team members got in on the goodwill, too. They make a group donation to Mom’s House each December on their own but wanted to contribute again to support the students’ efforts. The employees donated funds to double what the children had raised, bringing the charitable gift to $415. The class took a field trip to deliver the donation.

These pre-K graduates marked this milestone moment in their education by showing they’ve learned the values of hard work and giving back. “The students are proud to give each of their parents a carnation at graduation. And they were even prouder to support a great cause with the extra funds they raised from the sale,” said Brenda Kibler, Bayhealth childcare center director.