Page 34 - Head Start Annual Report 2021-2022
P. 34
have a good dinner because she
could not give him any breakfast.
About a week later, I saw Eli on the
FAMILIES LIKE street selling handmade potholders
at twenty-five cents each.” In those
Charlotte Diffendale made an ELI’S NEEDED A days the school where Charlotte
worked was not able to provide any
important life decision in 2021. She help to families. “I knew the family
wanted her passion for helping the WHOLE RANGE OF needed many more supports than I
families Children’s Friend serves could provide by just buying a few
to be expressed as a long-lasting SUPPORTS. potholders. I still have two of them.
gift, so she chose to join the Harriet Families like Eli’s needed a whole
Ware Society. “I wanted to make a range of supports.”
contribution to the world in some
way and Children’s Friend gave me little boy, Eli, a special child who Charlotte’s career eventually linked
the opportunity to do that,” Charlotte made a lasting impact on me. He her to Children’s Friend where she
says. The Harriet Ware Society, was a tall, skinny boy – some would has served as a Board member since
named for our founder, honors those describe him as emaciated. He wore 2013. She cites the agency’s long
who help to ensure that we continue a winter coat to school with sleeves history as proof of sustainability,
to meet the needs of our children too short and without any buttons trustworthiness, and dedication to
and their families long into the on the front. I was worried he would quality services. “I made a planned
gift so that the Elis of the world
future. be too cold, so I put safety pins
to close the coat before he left for would have the resources they need
During Charlotte’s career as an home. I did this for a few days, and well into the future and would be
early childhood educator in a low- each time the next day he came back given the best possible chances.”
income community, she witnessed with his coat open again, and the If you are interested in Planned
the enormous challenges poor safety pins gone. I asked him what Giving, please contact Joyce LaFrance
families face, and saw the impacts had happened to the safety pins, and Tormey at jtormey@cfsri.org.
on children. “I will never forget one he explained that his mother would
remove them. I realized that his
mother was reusing the safety pins
for other needs. Another day Eli told
me that his mother said he would
[ 3 4 ] INNO VAT ION + T E A M W OR K = S T R ONG FA MIL IE S
