One of NC Conference’s newest Advance projects, White Plains Children’s Center (#S-00277) invites you to join them Saturday, June 6, 2015, 10 AM – 1 PM for a Carnival Celebration. Come see what makes this inclusive 5 Star Day Care so renowned in serving children with special needs. Born as part of the outreach ministry of White Plains UMC (313 SE Maynard Rd., Cary, NC) in 1982, the White Plains Children’s Center (WPCC) is a separate 501(C)3 non-profit corporation, licensed and accredited by the NC Division of Child Development to serve children 1-5 years old.
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward (pastor of White Plains UMC at time of WPCC’s inception) with founding board members at WPCC 30th anniversary celebration in 2012.
What makes WPCC unique is its missional focus to educate preschool-aged children with special developmental needs (e.g. autism, Down Syndrome, and physical limitations) concurrently with developmentally less challenged children in a the same classroom. The mission is to create a stimulating and nurturing environment where children of all abilities, regardless of socio-economic or cultural backgrounds, can grow and learn together in acceptance on one another.
Parents of children who’ve attended the WPCC program testify to the remarkable difference in their children’s lives:
- “I_____ has become a confident child with a love of learning. I attribute her success to the great leadership and to the dedicated teaching staff.”
- “WPCC has tremendously helped our daughter. They are very easy to work with and they go above and beyond to ensure that your child succeeds. It’s been wonderful to watch our daughter blossom.”
- “The staff knows all of the children – even if they are not the child’s teacher – and there is an atmosphere of caring and support at the school.”
- “I searched long and hard for such a program and it was the only one in the area I could find that provided this unique environment.”
- “WPCC is responsible for breaking down the barriers that kept our child from a normal happy childhood. The understanding, warmth, compassion and joy he’s experienced there is nothing like any other school or daycare he’s ever been to.”
In addition to substantial in-kind support from White Plains UMC, WPCC derives revenue from a contract with Wake County Public Schools for special needs children aged 3-5, a small NC Department of Health & Human Services subsidy, private pay, and donations. Due to the high cost of providing small teacher/child ratios, WPCC does not cover costs fully from private pay parents and depends on fund raising activities and generous donations from supporters for operating revenue.
After three decades operating in western Wake County, WPCC became a NC Conference Advance project in 2014, enabling donations to WPCC to count towards a church’s eligibility as a Rainbow Covenant Church. To become a Rainbow Covenant Church, local churches first pay 100 percent of apportionments set by NCC. Each church then contributes to at least one project in each of five lanes of the Rainbow Covenant. Contributions to WPCC (S-00277) count toward the Rainbow Covenant Lane 2, NC Conference Advance Specials.
For more information about White Plains Children’s Center, visit them on Facebook or www.whiteplainschildrenscenter.org. You also may email WPCC at director@whiteplainschildrenscenter.org or phone: 919-469-3522.