August 1, 2003

For Immediate Release
Contact: Rebecca Ekstrom, Greendale People’s Church, 508.852.7727

Barbara Guthrie, Rainbow Child Development Center, 508.791.6849

Greendale People’s Church & Rainbow Child Development Center
Become Partners for Children

Church and Childcare Center offer new After School Program

(Worcester, MA) – In the true sense of the word, a “partnership” has been forged between a longstanding community church and an established childcare center. This September, Greendale People’s Church will be the site of a new after school program, which will be operated by Rainbow Child Development Center. The program, serving children in Kindergarten through sixth grade, is part of the outreach plan of this community church, located on 25 Francis Street in Worcester.

“The after school program will combine the strengths of two Worcester organizations to provide a very critical support to children and families in the Worcester area,” states Rev. Jeffrey Newhall, pastor of Greendale People’s Church. “In July of 1894, Greendale People’s Church was organized and one of the tenets was to serve others in the community. One hundred and nine years later, this initiative is an affirmation of that continuing work.” Greendale People’s Church has a congregation of 1,000 families from Worcester and Worcester County. Their property includes a conference camp on 20 acres located on Tully Pond in North Orange, Massachusetts.

Rainbow Child Development Center has a successful record of over 30 years of providing childcare and therapeutic services to Worcester area children and their families. Under the leadership of Barbara Guthrie, Executive Director, the organization currently serves more than 200 children – ages 6 weeks to 13 years. They are located at 16 Laurel Street and are currently finalizing negotiations to purchase the Edward Street Day Care building for expansion of their services.

Greendale People’s Church and Rainbow Child Development Center have been developing a strong relationship in recent years. Church parishioners, including the very youngest, have made generous donations to Rainbow children and families during the holiday seasons. This new and extended partnership will offer these two organizations many different avenues for collaboration while providing an enriching after school program to children whose families are in need of after school care.

In addition to providing an ideal location for an after school program in the Greendale area of the City, the program will be greatly enriched by members of the Church who will be volunteering their time and talents working with the children under the guidance and leadership of the Rainbow Child Development Center staff.

“We are pleased to be able to work with Greendale People’s Church to address the growing need for childcare services in our community,” states Barbara Guthrie. “Our dedicated staff brings their experience and enthusiasm to this initiative with every expectation that the goals of all will be realized.”

The program will open on Tuesday, September 2, 2003 and will operate in conjunction with the calendar of the Worcester Public Schools. Program activities will include homework assistance, field trips, arts and crafts, recreational activities, cultural and academic programming, special projects and more. Enrollment has begun for the program and space is limited so early registration is highly encouraged.

For further information please call Rainbow Child Development Center at 508.791.6849 or visit Rainbow’s web site: www.rainbowcdc.com