Genesis Home Executive Director Ryan Fehrman helps Kamari Harding cut the ribbon to the new Bright Space
Yesterday, members of the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children and the Genesis Home cut the ribbon on a new Bright Space designed to provide homeless children in shelters with a dedicated warm and enriching area where they can play and learn.
Mary McGuigan, the director of development at Genesis Home, said the space is a gift to the 15 families served by the program, which works to end homelessness for families with children by providing housing and supportive services to foster independence.
During the ceremony, Genesis Home Executive Director Ryan Fehrman said that his favorite aspect of the space was that it acknowledged that the primary users of the room would be children, and added, "This is a space that lets people know that they are valued."
The child-friendly area is a nurturing place filled with books, toys and activities that are developmentally appropriate to help the kids in the program thrive as they explore the world around them. Bright Horizons Center Director Tracey Roach led the project, which was made possible through a generous donation from BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina.
"When I showed the space during a tour, one comment that stood out to me was when someone said that looking at that room made them feel like they weren't homeless," Tracey said at the ceremony.
Check out our slideshow of the unveiling of the Bright Space.
