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Via crisisnursery.net

The holiday season is a time to celebrate, but for some families in CU, celebrations are put on hold.

The Crisis Nursery, located at 1309 W. Hill St. in Urbana, serves as a safe haven for children whose families are going through traumatic life situations. This winter, the center is ready to help families through the holidays.

"I think that holidays can be stressful, and it's a time when emotions can be high," said Kim Gollings, volunteer coordinator at the Crisis Nursery. "It's challenging for a lot of families."

On the Web site, the Crisis Nursery's mission statement is written clearly for families to see: "The Crisis Nursery is committed to creating an island of safety dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the provision of emergency intervention, respite care and support to families in crisis."

The Nursery offers a "respite" or a "break" to families that may need to take care of crises in their lives, said Gollings. Parents can bring their children to the center while they run errands or take care of other personal situations. Every situation is considered, she said.

The number of full-time staff is small --— only about 10 people, however there are a few part-time people and hundreds of volunteers, Diane Ballegger, board member for the Nursery, said.

"We have quite a few families who have tragic things going on," said Gollings. "We have a mom going through chemotherapy. We have a family whose grandma is taking care of them because their parents were killed in car accident about a year ago."

Despite these life-changing events, the Nursery still tries to spread holiday cheer throughout the month of December. It sponsors a holiday "adopt-a-family" program, where one family adopts another family from the nursery. There is also something special for the children.

"We always try to make sure that during the Christmas season and Christmas day, we're well stocked on gifts," Gollings said. "Santa can come here if we happen to have any children over night."

It also hosts an annual Holiday Shop fundraiser at Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana. Volunteers helped children 12-years-old and younger shop for their family members so that their parents would not know what they would be receiving for the holidays this year.

While the non-profit organization strives to provide service to the community, the recent economic recession has affected the amount of funding it receives. Because of budget cuts, organizations that once funded the Crisis Nursery can no longer provide grants, Gollings said. The recession has also impacted donations from the community.

This holiday season is the perfect time for students and community members to help the Crisis Nursery fulfill its mission. Even small donations can make a difference, said Gollings. The center welcomes donations of items such as formula, diapers, and kid friendly snacks and meals. Volunteers are also encouraged to work at the Nursery.

"I think volunteering is very important. You get to see what it's like on the other side of a situation." Carol Sung, a volunteer, said. "I think you learn more from the people you're helping than they learn from you."

While the holiday season can prove to be a difficult time for both workers and families at the Nursery, Gollings said that she tries to remember what would happen if the Nursery wasn't there to help. The Crisis Nursery's mission comes alive in its perseverance to give children and their families a place to find shelter from the harsh challenges of life.

"We are a place for families to bring their children to make sure that they're safe with no judgments," she said. "We believe asking for help is a sign of strength, and we're going to keep our doors open all the time in case you need us."