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Reflecting on One Year at St. Ann's Center!
January 30, 2025
Let me begin this note by saying thank you!
One year ago this month, you and the St. Ann’s Center community welcomed me into the role of CEO. As I reflect on the past twelve months, I stand in awe of your overwhelming generosity on behalf of the families we serve.
Thank you for all you do for the women and their children who call St. Ann’s Center home. Thank you for the gifts and the parties for our women and children, for your visits to St. Ann’s, and for just being there as someone we can count on. Your presence and your continuous, engaged support mean the world to us.
In this year of transition for St. Ann’s Center, you have enabled so much hope, growth, and joy for the 41 families (41 mothers and their 44 children) who lived with us in 2024, with ten of those families successfully graduating from our programs.
You’ve powered us to keep doing what St. Ann’s does best – while also helping us to expand the ways we serve. Along with growing the number of families served in our Residential Program and the number of students in our Child Care Center, you also helped us to complete substantial renovations* throughout our three housing programs.
Your gifts helped us open new Child Care classrooms and refresh existing classrooms with new rugs and new toys. You helped facilitate new trainings for our teachers – including caring for children on the autism spectrum and supporting children who are growing up speaking two or more languages.
Your gifts brought about moments of real joy and celebration for our families – like our Preschool Graduation Ceremony, vibrant holiday parties,** and one amazing visit and pizza party from Thea LaFond, 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist.
You made all these experiences possible – not to mention a wonderful Hope Blossoms reunion with Sister Mary Bader this past May, to celebrate her continuing impact as our former CEO!
All this year you’ve cheered us on, asked challenging questions, and continually supported me in getting to know this organization and the community behind it. I am so thankful.
Honestly, I could never choose just one favorite moment from this incredible year. But I can say this: the best moments of all have been my daily encounters with the women and their children living at St. Ann’s as they grow and prepare for the future. These young families are going to wow us all in 2025. We can’t wait to share their stories with you.
Sister Nancy Downing, CND
CEO, St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families
P.S. My special thanks to Cardinal Gregory and his wonderful staff at the Archdiocese of Washington for supporting me this year and for supporting St. Ann’s Center always. Cardinal Gregory, we wish you a happy and healthy retirement!
*My extra special thanks to longtime St. Ann’s supporters CFI Group, Derrick Associates Inc., Designing Women, Keller Williams Preferred Properties, Susan Norton of A Different Eye, Judy and John Ritz, and the Rotary Club of College Park, for their roles in facilitating our 2024 program space renovations.
**My heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated volunteers with the Order of Malta and Jiffy Lube Live and LiveNation, for creating so many thoughtful seasonal experiences for our families this year, and for many years prior. We cherish you.
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Mission: St. Ann’s Center helps mothers and children overcome crisis and achieve lasting independence and stability by providing a safe and supportive home, child care, education and employment assistance, and clinical social work services within a Catholic community that welcomes all.
Mission: St. Ann’s Center helps mothers and children overcome crisis and achieve lasting independence and stability by providing a safe and supportive home, child care, education and employment assistance, and clinical social work services within a Catholic community that welcomes all.
