By David's grandmother:

Thank you for helping my grandson, David, become a happy little boy who is learning his colors and letters. David calls DHCDC “my school.” Since coming to your center, he’s a totally different child.

But a year ago, David was an angry and sad little boy who didn’t smile. He was afraid, withdrawn and undisciplined. When he was just a year old, David’s mother, who is my daughter, was sexually assaulted by a man who broke into her home. David was in the house at the time and still suffers some of the effects of the trauma. The attack caused mental problems for my daughter, so David came to live with me and my husband.

If it weren’t for the sliding tuition rate at your school, we could not afford this life-changing education for David. We pay only [bottom of the sliding scale] per week.

Since David started in the program, he is less fearful and gaining confidence. He smiles. He enjoys the company of the other children. He behaves. He sings to himself. What a child learns in the early years, when you can reach them, stays with them until adulthood. By supporting Downtown Hampton Child Development Center, you are turning around

By Lorelei's mom:

When my husband and I first brought Lorelei here, I just wanted to find a center that was safe and convenient to where I work. A friend with high standards strongly recommended DHCDC.

In the four years Lorelei has attended, DHCDC has become an extra home. From class transitions to potty training, the staff always work with us to make our daughter’s experience positive. She’s learning so much and getting the discipline she needs.

But last December, my husband lost his job. With Christmas and Lorelei’s 4th birthday looming, we were faced with a scary situation. We couldn’t afford to pay our bills and keep Lorelei in child care on just my income. But my husband needed time to search for a new job, which wouldn’t be possible with Lorelei at home—and we didn't want to uproot her during such a tumultuous time.

I went to the Assistant Program Director and laid it all out. That’s when she reminded me about the sliding scale. The amount we were paying was slashed in half. You can’t imagine my relief. Our story has a happy ending. My husband found a good job in just three months. This would not have been possible if not for DHCDC’s sliding scale. An increasing number of families in our community need it. We never thought we would be one of them.

By DHCDC Program Director:

Natalie is a very shy 5-year-old twin girl with a speech delay who came to us in September with very limited skills. Her mom is a single parent who works long hours in a minimum-wage position that requires some night and weekend work. Natalie goes to a babysitter after school. Money is a continual problem for the family, but Mom is trying her best to make ends meet.

The teacher became concerned when Natalie began hoarding food and taking extra helpings of breakfast because she was hungry. Through our staff, we were able to assist the family to stretch their food budget.

Natalie receives special speech therapy from our Hampton University speech interns and has made a great improvement in her speech and understandability. Mom and the teacher have developed a positive, supportive relationship and communicate frequently on what Mom can do at home to help Natalie. Mom has worked diligently with Natalie at home to help her improve her skills. She can now write her name and knows all her colors! 

More importantly, Natalie shows much more confidence in class and now raises her hand during circle time and contributes good answers. We are very proud of Natalie’s progress and know she will be leaving us ready to excel in kindergarten.

By DHCDC Program Director:

When “Patrick” entered the program, our staff immediately recognized the 3-year-old  was showing symptoms of autism spectrum disorder—something his parents had never suspected.

He was subsequently diagnosed with autism. At first, Patrick could not hold a conversation or look people in the eye, and his speech consisted of commercial jingles. His teachers, the on-site inclusion specialist and other staff worked closely with both the boy and his parents.

By the end of the school year, he was a different child.
Now 4 years old, Patrick laughs with his classmates, has meaningful conversations with his parents and has formed a close bond with his teachers, whom he often imitates at home while playing “school.”

His delighted parents credit the care and talents of DHCDC for the remarkable change in their son and anticipate a brighter future. 

By Lia (via her mom!):

My name is Lia and the doctors said I would be a vegetable (maybe I’d make a cute cucumber!). I am adopted and I will grow up knowing that my family was very lucky to be able to meet and love me. I am one of seven siblings. Three of us have the same birth mom.

My birth mom made some mistakes when she was pregnant with me and she used a lot of drugs and abused alcohol. Because of this, I was born 9 weeks premature and I have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Periventricular Leukomalasia (PVL). PVL is a fancy way of saying that there are holes in my brain. I have done a lot more than most doctors thought I would.

When my mom enrolled me at DHCDC as a toddler, I was wearing leg braces and working hard to learn to walk. Because of my cerebral palsy, I needed additional time and attention from staff. Within months, I was able to walk with my friends.

I have enjoyed my time at DHCDC. I like it when my teachers let me help them. Sometimes I even help other children in my class with special needs. But mostly I’m like any other kid now. I always remember to sing the songs we learn when I get home. I like to write my name and to paint. I have a lot of friends and I am proud of what I do at school.

Due to my prematurity and my late birthday, my mom had planned to defer my kindergarten enrollment, but I’ve made such tremendous progress at DHCDC this year that I will be starting kindergarten in the fall beside my typically developing peers!

By Quentin (via his mom!):

Hi! My name is Quentin and I am a miracle. Like my sister Lia,
I was born to the same mother who didn’t know how to take
care of herself—so she couldn’t take care of me. I was born
with infections and sepsis, and also had alcohol and drugs in
my body.

The doctors noticed I didn’t have thumbs, and later realized I had differences in my heart, arms, wrists, legs, mouth, eyes, ears, stomach and brain. I also have a genetic condition called TAR Syndrome, where the platelets in my blood don’t regrow. I could bleed internally if I bruise or fall. Over half of kids with TAR don’t live past age 2.

When my new mom enrolled me at DHCDC, I had just turned 1 year old and needed stand-by oxygen. A lot of centers won’t accept children with needs like mine, but my teacher welcomed me. I’ve had a lot of surgeries since then, including an operation to create thumbs out of my index fingers. My teachers work closely with my mom to make sure everyone knows how to help me stay safe and support my unique needs. They even modified classroom activities to empower me to be as independent as possible.

If I had ended up in another program, I might have felt isolated, but at DHCDC I benefit from playing and learning beside my typically developing peers, and my friends have learned that I am more like them than different. You should see me shooting hoops—swish! I’m now a 3-year-old with a lot of joy to share.