The region’s most comprehensive children’s charity awarded a $1 million grant to Harbor House during a morning news conference. Kosair for Kids President Barry Dunn announced the funding to help the well-respected charity expand its mission to help children of all abilities. Harbor House provides individuals with disabilities with challenging, enjoyable, and productive activities each day.
“You don’t have to look hard to see that the caring staff at Harbor House delivers joy each day,” explained Dunn. “The programs and opportunities created here fulfill the hearts of clients, but they also nourish the souls of families who want nothing more than for their loved ones to find peace in discovering their purpose. Kosair for Kids is grateful to play a role in helping Harbor House reach children who deserve and desire opportunities to live life to the fullest.”
A group of 11 families founded Harbor House in 1992 to create daily care options and programming for their disabled children who aged out of the school system. These parents wanted their children to live more fulfilling lives, but nothing existed at the time that could provide the vital experiences needed. The foundation they laid has helped tens of thousands of people in the last three decades.
Harbor House is nearing completion of its new Intergenerational Life Center. The facility next to the organization’s main headquarters on Lower Hunter’s Trace will increase the health of generations across South Louisville by providing space for current, new, and future programs and educational opportunities. This $1 million Kosair for Kids grant will allow Harbor House to renovate its current facility to create a Child Enrichment Center to expand children’s programming unlike ever before.
“The Child Enrichment Center brings together children with and without disabilities to experience a community of support and love. Children from 6-weeks old to school age will grow and learn in an environment based on inclusivity,” said Harbor House CEO Marie Smith. “I cannot thank Kosair for Kids enough for helping to deliver a place of love, hope, and empowerment to our most vulnerable children.”
Harbor House has provided meaningful opportunities for 15-year-old Calvin, a much-loved member of the Teen Program at Harbor House, where the young man born with Down syndrome and heart complications has flourished. His mother, Rhonda, described what these options mean to her son and the children who will benefit from the Kosair for Kids grant.
“Teen Program helps Calvin grow by fostering interaction and learning outside of school and home,” she said. The coming Child Enrichment Center and the new Intergenerational Life Center also give caregivers hope for balance and support. Kids like Calvin can say, ‘It’s a place for me.’”
Today’s grants announcement is the first following the recent approval of nearly 100 grants by the Kosair for Kids Board of Directors. Those grants will deliver over $12 million in assistance to organizations that provide pediatric health care, research, education, social services, and child advocacy. In the coming weeks, you’ll receive more information about other Kosair for Kids grants.