Children’s Home grows, plans for the future

BINGHAMTON — The Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference (Children’s Home) says it provides safe and stable environments for children and their families while internally working to stay important to the community.

The Children’s Home is currently in the midst of a strategic-planning effort to be proactive and adapt to the ever-changing demands of the service environment it faces. The focus of the 2012-2014 strategic and management plan is to implement three evidence-based practices and develop a family engagement strategy. When it’s complete, the organization will be able to better meet customer and client needs and “continue to be relevant,” says Robert (Chip) Houser, president and CEO of the Children’s Home.

No stranger to strategic planning, in 2007, the Children’s Home developed its first strategic plan with the main goal to achieve change in the organizational culture from one of custodial care of children to trauma-sensitive treatment. While similar in structure to the first plan, “the current strategic plan builds upon the lessons learned from the previous as it also responds to the challenges of doing business in a more challenging economic environment,” Carol Aronowitz, director of planning and performance improvement at the Children’s Home, said in an email.

Originally a three-year plan with 52 items to address, the first plan had to be extended two years to include everything. With the current strategic plan, the Children’s Home consolidated issues to a manageable number. Houser says it’s too early to tell if the current plan will need to be extended, but so far things are on track.

Is there another strategic plan in the Children’s Home’s future? “No end to strategic plans,” says Houser.

Among the changes the nonprofit had to adapt to was becoming the primary foster care service for Broome County Department of Social Services in 2010. But the organization also provides services and takes referrals from all counties in the state. Houser says there is little competition among the other 140 some agencies in the state that also provide similar services. Elmcrest Children’s Center in Syracuse and Glove House in Elmira are a couple of similar organizations that provide foster-care services.

The county makes the decision on who goes to foster care, and then the Children’s Home finds the home for that child. The government doesn’t want children in extended care for too long, so the Children’s Home says it works to get the children back in the community and an environment that is better for them. At this time, the Children’s Home has 120 children placed in foster homes, but has a total of 138 foster homes.

On average, a child may stay in foster care for nine to 18 months, though it varies from child to child. Some may just be in a home for a day or two; others may stay in foster care until adulthood. A child can remain in the system until 21 years old.

About 50 children live and attend school on the main Hillcrest campus of the Children’s Home, and another 50 attend school on campus but don’t live there. The nonprofit has been at this location on Chenango Street in Binghamton since 1918 when it was farmhouse used as an orphanage. The farmhouse is now the welcome center on campus.

 Over the years, not only did the Children’s Home grow from a small orphanage into a comprehensive provider of children and family services, it also expanded its real estate. It now sits on 19 acres with 89,000 square feet of space in 14 buildings. The nonprofit owns all of its property except for an office it rents in downtown Binghamton and an apartment building in Binghamton it uses for its Supervised Independent Living Program, where adolescents receive the support and assistance they need to transition to total independence.

In 2007, the two buildings sitting on the front of the property were built and currently function as the girl’s dorms. Then in 2008, the Children’s Home purchased the land and vacant Hillcrest Elementary School next to it, adding about 25,000 square foot to its campus. Now called the Galloway Building, the former school houses the Therapeutic After School Program, Day Treatment program and staff training center.

The Children’s Home helps 450 children every day with 18 programs. Of its nearly $18 million in annual expenses, it spends 91 percent on program services. For the 2011-2012 fiscal year, the Children’s Home generated more than $20 million in revenue, up from $17.4 million in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Currently about three quarters of the way through the 2012-2013 fiscal year, Houser anticipates its annual revenue will be close to the previous year, but “it’s almost too soon to tell.”

The revenue tends to follow the occupancy of children in homes. For example, in the summer, occupancy is down, but picks up when the school year gears up, and then stabilizes in November. “We’ve learned not to panic too soon,” says Houser.

Government funding contributes more than 80 percent of the nonprofit’s funding, according to its 2011-2012 annual report. Houser anticipates that with more government budget cuts likely in the future, the organization may have to raise more funds on its own.

Houser came to the Children’s Home in 2004 after already having been retired for a year and a half as the Broome Country Department of Social Services Commissioner. His wife heard about the opening for President and CEO of the Children’s Home while at church, then came home and told him to apply for it. So he did. “She was right, as usual,” says Houser.

As for any plans of retiring again any time soon, Houser is staying put. “I still got a little game left in me,” he says. “I like what we do.”

 

Contact Collins at ncollins@cnybj.com

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Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference (Children’s Home)

1182 Chenango St.

Binghamton, NY 13901

(607) 772-6904 / 723-2617

www.chowc.org

 

Founded: 1912

 

Full-time Employees: 240

Volunteers:  40

Service Area: Broome County primarily, but receives referrals from all NYS counties

 

Mission: To enhance, the safety, stability, and well-being of children, families, and their communities.

 

Programs and Services: “Our programs provide a safe and therapeutic environment which includes clinical, child care, medical educational, spiritual and recreational components for at-risk and vulnerable children with mental health issues and emotional problems and their families throughout Broome County and New York State.” The Children’s Home has more than 15 programs, including residential and community-based programs.

 

 

Key Staff:

President/CEO: Robert K. (Chip) Houser

President/CEO Compensation: $138,644                                          

Chief Financial Officer: Ann MacLaren

Chief Program Officer: Frederick Mohrien                                  

Vice President of Education: Maria Cali

Director of Planning & Performance Improvement: Carol Aronowitz

Chief Facilities Manager: Daniel Thomas

Director of Community & Donor Relations: Margaret Tatich

 

 

Recent Organizational Highlights: The year 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the Children’s Home.  The face of child care has changed drastically in the last century and the Children’s Home has changed and adapted right along with it, continuing to support its mission of providing a safe place for children.  In 2010, the Children’s Home became the primary foster-care service agency for the Broome County Department of Social Services.  This has created an increased need for foster parents in its community.

 

 

Planning/Fundraising Outlook for 2012: “We seek to expand the depth and breadth of our Continuum of Care in order to be strong and flexible enough to carry our tradition of excellence into the future.  The Children’s Home fundraising outlook plans strategies to achieve annual income and benchmark with national trends.  Annual special events raise funds, friends and awareness.  These include the Garden of Hope, the Maggie Memorial Golf Tournament, the Ice Cream Social and one-time events run by community members.  Public presentations by staff to congregations, businesses and service organizations for education and advocacy are coordinated through the Community and Donor Relations Department.

 

 

Board of Directors (Officers)

President: Nancy Olmstead Berger               Town of Vestal

Vice President: Jacqueline Bain, Esq.          Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP

Treasurer: Janet L. Williams                        Cornell University

Secretary: Robert J. Ford, Jr.                         Retired (Social Work)

 

Board Members

Walter Anderson        Access Ability Design Group

Jacqueline A. Bain     Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP

Nancy Olmstead Berger  Town of Vestal

Sharon A. Bryant        Binghamton University

David J. Chamber       Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors

Sally J.  Colletti           Advocates for Austin

Katherine Fauty          Consultant (self-employed)

Robert J. Ford Jr.        Retired

Sheryl Guiles              Real-estate broker

Christopher Hutchings The Partners

Lindsay J. Meehan     Mirabito Holdings

Andrea J. Ogunwumi Economic Opportunity Program, Inc.

James W. Peak, Jr.     Scleroderma Foundation, Tri-State Chapter 

Ann Peterson              NY Annual Conference, United Methodist Church

Russell Sanaeko          Wells Fargo

Joseph Silvanic           United Health Services

Terrence L. Smith      Retired

Janet L. Williams        Cornell University

Kathleen Wood          Harpursville Central School

 

Financial Data:  Fiscal year ending June, 30 2012

 

Revenue
Contributions & Grants	3,147,896
Program Services	16,860,566
Investment Income	90,006
Total Revenue	$20,098,468
Expenses
Salaries & Employee Benefits	11,574,614
Other	6,026,481
Total Expenses	$17,601,095
Surplus for the year	$2,497,373