November 9, 2009

As we enter the last 2 months of 2009, our 175th anniversary year, much has changed at Children’s Friend in this anniversary year. Certainly, much has changed at Children’s Friend and throughout the world during our 175 years of serving the community.

While our everyday activities may change, unfortunately some of the major underlying problems in society which lead to poor outcomes for children have not changed for the better.

The following quote from our 1932 Annual Report could just as easily be written for our 2009 Annual Report:

“Idleness, despair, insecurity, evictions from homes, loss of furniture and insurance and living in crowded quarters with relatives or friends with no privacy will doubtless result in the loss of self-respect to many and endanger the breakdown of family life. Children are not safe and happy if their parents are miserable, and parents must be miserable if they cannot protect a home against poverty. The power to maintain a decent living standard is essential for wholesome childhood.”