Community Chest Spotlight: Sewanee Children’s Center

The 2012–13 Sewanee Community Chest Fund Drive is underway. The power of the people helping people makes a difference in the life of the community. Sponsored by the Sewanee Civic Association, the Community Chest raises money yearly for local charitable organizations serving the area. This year’s goal is $90,000.

For the next few weeks, the Messenger will focus on some of the organizations supported by the Community Chest. This week we shine the spotlight on the Sewanee Children’s Center.

The Sewanee Children’s Center (SCC) began in 1948. SCC provides a high-quality preschool and after-school program to the youngest members of Sewanee and the surrounding communities of Franklin, Marion and Grundy counties. SCC currently has 45 children in both preschool and after-school care. SCC serves more than 30 families in the local communities and employs nine people.

SCC is requesting $8,000 to fund its scholarship account. SCC has a long history of offering tuition assistance to families in need. These funds allow SCC to serve between seven and nine additional families that meet income eligibility guidelines. Often these children have the most to gain from access to high-quality early childhood education services, but their families are not able to afford the care without financial assistance. The Community Chest funding of this program reaches many in the local community, including children and families most in need.

SCC receives money from tuition fees and other donations. SCC incurred $12,000 in unexpected moving expenses from Otey Parish to Cravens Hall this year. The Community Chest was able to 

provide $5,000 in moving expense assistance in addition to funds for the scholarship account. 

Yearly expenses for SCC total more than $229,000. The biggest expenses are in payroll, rent and classroom supplies.

The goal of the Sewanee Community Chest is to help citizens by funding community organizations. The Community Chest is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations are tax-deductible. 

Send your donation to Sewanee Community Chest, P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375. 

For more information, or to make a donation through PayPal, contact <sewaneecommunitychest@gmail.com>.

[Editor’s Note: The Sewanee Mountain Messenger was founded in part by the Sewanee Civic Association; however, the Messenger no longer requests Community Chest funding.]