CHILD, Inc. Marking Fifty Years of Sheltering Youth in Delaware

Help Us Raise the Roof on a New Youth Shelter Addition.

WILMINGTON, DE, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Fifty years ago, if an abused or neglected child or teen required emergency shelter, they were placed in a facility with delinquent youth. They had committed no crime but were housed with youth who had broken the law. In 1974, with the opening of the Governor Terry Children’s Center shelter, CHILD, Inc. changed all that.

CHILD, Inc., a non-profit social service agency serving Delaware’s children and families since 1963, opened the State of Delaware’s first emergency shelter for children and teens traumatized by abuse, neglect, or dependency in 1974. The emergency shelter was named in honor of the late Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr., who was an early supporter of the initiative. Prior to the opening of the emergency shelter, abused, neglected and dependent children were housed with delinquent youth at Bridge House, the State’s detention facility for youth charged with criminal acts. By providing a separate emergency shelter for youth in the child welfare system, CHILD, Inc. was able to focus on the unique needs of children who had suffered childhood traumas. The homelike atmosphere and family routines of the shelter offer stability, safety, and care for the children placed there by the Delaware Division of Family Services.

Fifty years later, the Governor Terry Children’s Center (GTCC) is still going strong and remains Delaware’s only emergency shelter for youth. GTCC has sheltered over 5,300 youth since 1974. Currently, the center serves youth between the ages of 9 and 17 with the average stay of 30 to 60 days. The traumas that teens and pre-teens face are increasingly complex, and many have mental health and behavioral challenges that make placement into a foster home difficult. With the number of foster care homes declining and treatment resources scarce, GTCC is encountering longer stays in shelter for the youth.

The GTCC shelter building was constructed in 1915. CHILD, Inc. expanded the facility with two additions over the years. The agency’s goal in this 50th anniversary year is to plan and raise funds for a further addition to the home. With up to 10 children housed at GTCC, the building takes a lot of wear and tear. CHILD, Inc. plans to enlarge the building to allow for more programming space, a larger functional kitchen, and additional bedrooms for girls who are currently triple bunked in small bedrooms.

The proceeds from the CHILD, Inc. black-tie Gala on November 8, 2024 at the Hotel DuPont will help “Raise the Roof” on a new addition to allow the agency to better serve the children in their care. The Gala promises to be a fun evening with a Runway by Peter Kate, the luxury women’s fashion store, three-course dinner, drinks, and dancing. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to donate, visit: https://raisetheroof.cbo.io

Lori Sitler
CHILD, Inc.
+1 302-762-8989
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