* Denotes sponsors of individual babies and toddlers in the Open Arms program

Michelle Allen*
Alliance Tech Systems Operations
Vickie & Jim Bennett*
Laurie Berry-Dorroh*
Tuesday Blobaum
Tracy Brockmeier
Randy Bronte
Scott & Elizabeth Callaway
Rob Carter
Laura Cuddy
Ellen Dietricks
Scot Dobberfuhl & Kathlene Postma
Susan & Wade Doshier
Amy Durr*
Jennifer & James Emmert in honor of their ZJ Daughter
Adam Fratto
Michele Gamble
Amy Gershon
Mark & Hanna Glieberman in honor of the Doshier Family
Peter Hagen*
Judith Hausner*
Randall High
Denise Hope
Ann Marie Howard in honor of Annabel Cuddy
Dave & Kay Hucke* in honor of Olivia
Carey & Judy Huff* in honor of Reagan, Barbara & Olivia
Cathleeen Hunt
Roxanne Hutton
Lance Kaji*
Patti Kelly
Barbara Keller*
Wendy Lee*
Mike Mahathy
Valerie & Doug Martin*
Marie & Victor McCool
Bethany Moore
Janice & Claire Morris*
Tricia Murphy*
James Phalen*
Jan Richey & Tom Lamphere*
Lisa Seppi
Kimberley Simms & Chris Blobaum in honor of Tuesday
Patrick Smith & Cynthia Merris Smith*
Teri Suiter*
Brian & Patti Tejes*
TLM*
Janelle Toppen
Tracy Family Foundation
Tom VanderVeen
Deborah Walker
Michele Walker
Richard Walters
Ruth Wengard in honor of Vickie Bennett
Brooke Wehrman
Betty Williams in honor of the Doshiers
Whalley Foundation*
Suzanne Young
Mrs. Joyce Wussow in memory of Dennis Wussow, grandfather to Sylviah Seeliger

Infants and Toddlers Thrive in Open Arms

In the last two years over 100 children, from infancy through toddlerhood, have been strengthened by this innovative and lovingly designed program.

Every day they spend hours playing--and for children play is work--on the floor with aunties specially trained to teach them the world around them is theirs to experience.

The Tangible Results of Loving Attention

The children learn tangible skills, such as how to walk or how to hold a cup.   The aunties work to keep them on target for their age group.   

Progress reports on the children are kept daily and filed quarterly.   Every child is tracked, and the interactions are adjusted to help that individual child's needs.    In this way we know Open Arms has been an unqualified success.

And the Intangibles That Change Lives

What is harder to track but perhaps even more crucial is how the consistency of care the aunties gives the children convinces them they are valued and that they can trust someone will be there to care for them.  

This most basic right and expectation may be the most important building blocks we can offer these children as they wait for families.   It will be key to their happiness as they grow.

All of the Children Are Special

Over half of the children in the Open Arms program have special needs.  The extra attention they receive at this crucial point can make possible a functional life and in some cases the potential to be adopted.    All of the children, with or without special needs, are tended equally by their aunties.

A Noisy, Happy Place

The Open Arms room can be a noisy happy place, full of music, children learning to talk, being comforted by aunties, or receiving applause for learning to roll over or stand for the first time.  

Newborns may be rocked by their aunties while the auntie's toddlers are napping, and another child may be strengthening her motor skills with new toys kindly sent by adoptive families.

Your donation goes very far in giving these deserving children a great start and a sense of their importance in this world.