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Celebrating 30 Years of Helping Children, Nourishing Friendships

MILFORD, Mich., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The non-profitMichigan foundation Women's Caring Program (WCP) will hold its annual "Twilight Gathering" garden party/fundraiser, celebrating 30 years of friendship and support of children, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, inMilford, MI. WCP supports early childhood education through licensed quality childcare for working poor families acrossMichigan.

WCP, which began on a front porch in 1979 as a potluck dinner party among a handful of women who wanted to expand their circle of friends, is now an energetic, growing public foundation raising over $300,000 in 2008 alone. The humble potluck blossomed into the Twilight Gathering garden party, a "must-do" event-of-the-summer attracting more than 800 women statewide.

WCP's signature statewide program, ChildCare Commitment, supports children, ages birth to five, from working disadvantaged families and provides financial support for their quality childcare and early education. It has helped families in 64 Michigan counties.

"We believe that, collectively, we all have one asset too important to fail and that is our children," said WCP founder Carol Walters. "Our organization focuses on the needs of the children in working poor families, who need quality early education and childcare to make them kindergarten ready while their parents are working to provide for them. Research has conclusively shown there is a direct correlation between the quality of early childhood care and education and a child's future economic independence. It also shows indisputably that children who start out behind their peers educationally rarely catch up.

"Too often, we find that government and private assistance programs focus only on the most disadvantaged among us. Through ChildCare Commitment, we bring much-needed stability to the lives of workingMichigan families for whom just a little help can make all the difference, making kindergarten readiness and future success in life more of a reality.

"When economic times are tough, it is the parents and children of low-income families who suffer the most. This is certainly the case this year, as Michigan's tumultuous economy continues to wreak havoc on working families trying to find affordable, quality childcare."

Among families who pay for child care, families in poverty spend an average of 29 percent of their income and families between 100 and 200 percent of poverty devote an average of 14 percent of their income on care.*

InMichigan, two out of every five children reside in low-income households (income under $42,000 for a family of four). This rate is up more than six percent since 2000, and is the highest in the Midwest. There are currently 456 families on the ChildCare Commitment's waiting list.

The WCP's Twilight Gathering has become a legendary garden party that pampers guests by surrounding them in a beautiful garden setting among exquisitely prepared food, refreshing drinks, lively conversations, great music and one of the largest and best silent auctions in southeastMichigan.

"Even as our mission of helping disadvantaged children has expanded over the years, we've always tried to ensure the original reason for gathering women together remains the same: to laugh, relax, catch up with old friends and possibly meet new ones," said Walters. "Women don't take time just for themselves very often - away from the everyday stresses of juggling home, jobs and family. This gathering provides a wonderful time to decompress and simply enjoy our friends."

To RSVP to the Twilight Gathering, become involved as a volunteer or a silent auction donor, and learn more about the Women's Caring Program, including a copy of the invitation and a map to the event, visit www.womenscaringprogram.org. Tickets are $100 in advance; $125 at the event and corporate and individual sponsorships are available. To RSVP via email: rsvp@womenscaringprogram.org or via telephone, call: (248) 415-1442. The Twilight Gathering will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, at 2955 Morrow Lane,Milford.

Individuals and companies interested in supporting ChildCare Commitment, attending the Twilight Gathering, or learning more about WCP can visit www.womenscaringprogram.org.

*U.S. Census Bureau, "Who's Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2005." Detailed Tables, PPL Table 6 (2008). http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/childcare.html

SOURCE Women's Caring Program