Whaley Children’s Center is receiving a $100,000 donation from the Kristy Lynn Berkelbaugh Memorial Fund. According at a statement released by WCC, the funds will go toward children’s needs including but not limited to education, medical, extracurricular activities and holidays.
“The donation will have a huge impact on our kids’ lives,” says Mindy Williams, President/CEO of WCC in the statement. “It is important for us to make the Center feel like home for our children. The one way we do that is by giving the opportunity for the kids to have a lot of fun experiences, to simply help them to be kids. With the generous donation from the Kristy Lynn Berkelbaugh Memorial Fund we will be able to give these kids so many positive memories.”
The Kristy Lynn Berkelbaugh Memorial Fund was created by Diana and Fred Berkelbaugh to honor their daughter who passed away tragically at a very young age. The family has been supporting programs and services for children for years with the use of this fund. Through years of community collaboration, family advocating and close circle of friends, the fund has provided hundreds of opportunities to make impactful changes. “Each time the funds are used to create change for a child, I think of my sister and smile with genuine love and admiration for what we are able to do in her memory,” says Lisa Berkelbaugh-Szukhent, sister to Kristy and fund monitor. “Moving the funds to Whaley seemed like a perfect fit; when you visit the Center, you can not only see kids being kids, but you just feel at home.”
Whaley Children’s Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1926 that provides residential child care services to children, age 5-17, who have suffered chronic and profound abuse and neglect. The services provided to children and families include residential treatment, group homes, family counseling and aftercare service. To learn more about WCC, visit www.whaleychildren.org
