Childcare Resources of Indian River celebrated its silver jubilee last Monday evening during a 25th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting at their own Childcare Resources School.

Anthony Donadio, who served as the nonprofit’s first board president 25 years ago, and Shannon McGuire Bowman, executive director, reflected on the growth of Childcare Resources in the years since Sandy Kahle, Kathy Marshall and Sherry Waddell first founded the program. Proponents of early education, they had recognized a need to serve the working poor; families earning too much to qualify for educational assistance but not enough to afford quality childcare or preschool.

“They deeply understood what children and parents need in order to prepare a child; not only for kindergarten but for life,” said Bowman.

“It’s amazing what they’ve done here,” added Donadio. He noted that in its first year, Childcare Resources served 24 children and now impacts the lives of 2,000 children annually. “I’m proud to have been involved in this program.”

Marilyn Brock’s class of 4-year-olds impressed the audience with adorable performances, singing songs and reciting poems before announcing with confidence and no shortage of cuteness what they would like to be when they grow up. The group included an aspiring firefighter, two police officers, a farmer, a chef and an artist who plans to study in Paris.

“Whenever I talk about Indian River County I always talk about how it’s such a philanthropic community,” said Indian River County Commissioner Peter O’Bryan, presenting Bowman with a proclamation honoring Childcare Resources. “We have all of these great people that volunteer their time, their effort and their money to make Indian River County a special community. We have a lot of the sexy things like the theater and the art museum, but it’s organizations like Childcare Resources, dealing with our children, that really make our community special.”

A brief video recapping the history of the organization included testimonials from parents sharing the impact the preschool has made on their children’s lives. One father said he considers it to have been the foundation for the life his son, now a college graduate, has been able to build.

Guests were invited to tour the classrooms and visit with teachers, getting a glimpse of where children, ranging in age from 6 weeks to 5 years, spend their days – a world where colorful artwork papers nearly every wall, butterflies flutter overhead and books are scattered all about the rooms.

Later, as they gathered in tents for a cocktail reception, guests discussed the high-quality preschool, as well as its partnerships with other childcare centers, and such innovative programs as a Credentialing Program for Early Educators.

“At Childcare Resources we change children’s lives. We make them better and give them opportunities that they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” said Susan Donovan, incoming board president.

For more information, visit childcareresourcesir.org.