On Saturday, December 4, 2021, Doylestown Health held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Children’s Village, which will be rebuilt on the Doylestown Hospital campus for a scheduled opening in 2023. Donors, local officials, legislators, and families and staff of Children’s Village gathered near the construction site to mark the ceremonial commencement of the rebuild project.
The former Children’s Village, which operated on the hospital campus for 35 years, was destroyed by a tornado in August 2020. Soon after, Doylestown Health announced that rebuilding would be a new priority of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health, and demolition took place in November 2021. Design features include 16 classrooms for five age groups, from infancy through kindergarten; a library; a teaching kitchen; an art studio; a multipurpose room for gatherings and fitness; an outdoor play space; enhanced safety and security features; and an adherence to environmentally friendly building standards. With the rebuild project, Doylestown Health is investing in new enhancements to the early childhood education program—such as the teaching kitchen and art studio—that the former Children’s Village did not have.
In addition to the early support of Jeanne and John Hubbard, PhD—who announced a $1.5 million Challenge Match for the community in August—Children’s Village will receive a $10,000 gift from the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA), and $2 million in Commonwealth grant funding from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP). The grant funds will help advance the project as we begin construction in the coming months thanks to the legislators who advocated on behalf of Doylestown Health including Sen. Steve Santarsiero, who was a key figure in championing early childhood development in our community.
Among special guests at the groundbreaking were Gianluca Ferraguti, age 5, and his parents, Katie and Steve Ferraguti. Gianluca was a student at Children’s Village when the tornado struck, and was evacuated with the others to safety. His great-grandmother sent him a story she wrote to help alleviate his fear of severe weather in the aftermath of the storm, and the family had it published as “Teddy Bear Come Home.” Proceeds from sales of the book support the rebuild of Children’s Village. Gianluca was invited to stand alongside Doylestown Health leadership and local officials during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Doylestown Health is grateful to visionary donors Jeanne and John Hubbard, PhD, the VIA, and our community for their continued support of this priority.
$1.5 Million Children’s Village Challenge Match
With a $1.5 million commitment from longstanding and visionary supporters Jeanne and John Hubbard, PhD, Doylestown Health Foundation has launched the $1.5 Million Children’s Village Challenge Match to accelerate completion of the new facility and bring Children’s Village home to its original location on the Doylestown Hospital campus.
ABOUT CHILDREN’S VILLAGE, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER
Children’s Village is a fully licensed and nationally accredited early childhood education center, offering programs for children six weeks of age, up to and including kindergarten. Carefully designed curriculum at Children’s Village employs Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and concentrates on the behavioral, social, emotional, and intellectual well-being and growth of each individual student, establishing a strong learning foundation for each child and fostering a positive learning environment with ample opportunities for play. For over 35 years, Children’s Village was the “home away from home” for thousands of children from our local community. Today, Children’s Village serves second-generation children and families—parents, who were once students, trust their little ones to our care.
ABOUT ONE VISION: THE CAMPAIGN FOR DOYLESTOWN HEALTH
Doylestown Health is beginning a bold new chapter as we approach our second century of healthcare delivery. To honor our centennial, Doylestown Health has launched an ambitious comprehensive campaign, ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health, to elevate the patient experience to new heights and unlock our full potential to deliver exceptional care.
Philanthropic support of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health will fund transformational renovation and expansion across the Doylestown Hospital and Pine Run campuses and will help chart the course for the next generation of patients, providers, and technology. For more information, explore the Doylestown Health Foundation website or call 215-345-2009.
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