Safe Space for Kids Program

The Erwin First United Methodist Church hosts a program while schools are out for winter break. This program is called "Safe Space for Kids" and provides children with a safe place to go during the day when their parents are at work.

This is the third year that the church has done this program. It takes 25 children between the ages of eight and twelve years old each winter break.

With the program, children receive two meals per day, games, arts and crafts, and activities away from the church. For instance, today the kids were taken to Beaver Lake Nature Center today and had story time presented by the Onondaga Historical Society.

The "Safe Space for Kids" program is almost entirely run by volunteers. As the church's Treasurer and Trustee chair, Terry Richmond, explained, "Somebody helps out with cooking, somebody helps out with serving meals and so forth. They arrange activities. They've done a number of things to keep the kids busy every day."

Richmond added that the church hopes to make this a city-wide program that would cover all school breaks rather than just winter break.