Dear Friends of Hanna Perkins,
You may know that I have a daughter—an only child who never had childcare outside of our immediate family, who had medical trauma from infancy onward and whose pre-K was cut short by the pandemic. She didn’t have a full year of “normal” school until second grade, and now in third grade, she recently experienced the tragic loss of her classroom teacher.
She’s had physical pain, isolation, loneliness and grief…among other things. She missed much of the “typical” social development expected in her early years. It has been a lot for a young girl to carry. To be frank, it’s also been a lot for me as her adult mother to handle.
Thankfully, we have a whole family of Hanna Perkins Aunties—and a few Uncles—who check in on her and give me support. They helped us manage the very strong emotions that arise during isolation and medical challenges. Most recently, they’ve helped us cope with the rage and sadness of an unfair and unexpected death.
When my daughter stopped by the office that week, she told our CEO, Karen Baer, “My teacher is dying, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” She was in the right place. Even in the middle of the hallway on a Wednesday afternoon, Karen took the time to listen to her as she gave voice to her confusion and frustration. Pam Millar, Kim Bell, Noelle Marotta, Barbara Streeter and every adult she has met at Hanna Perkins has given her time, attention and affirmation.
Last year her 2nd grade teacher gushed at us. “I have never met a 7-year old who understands their feelings so well. She tells me how she is feeling, why she is feeling that way and what we should do about it.” That is Hanna Perkins. That is how your support makes a difference for thousands of children and families across northeast Ohio every year.
Hanna Perkins is where kids learn to “become the boss of themselves”—to manage their feelings, to have a sense of control over their lives and to develop internal motivations to do what is best. As a parent, this is where I realized that I am her most trusted consultant as she learns to navigate life and the tremendous responsibility I have in that role.
I am honored to work here, and I’m proud to be a donor. I hope that you will join me in making a gift to Hanna Perkins, so we can continue to give children, families and early childhood professionals the tools that they need during this precious time.
Thanks,
Kate Vinciquerra
Director of Development
MAY
2024
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