Cunningham Children’s Home was founded in 1895 and is currently located at 1301 N. Cunningham Avenue in Urbana. To this day, it continues to offer residential treatment, specialized foster care, transitional living, independent living, vocational education, and therapeutic special education to children and adolescents ages 5-21 from Champaign-Urbana and surrounding areas. Yesterday, the current and former staff and residents celebrated 120 years of service. Alumni traveled from all over the country to attend this homecoming.
Staff welcomed alumni with programs, t-shirts, and name tags.
Former staff were given quilts made by the United Methodist Women’s group.
Former staff and residents met, hugged, cried, relived memories and took photographs together.
Below, Ginger McKee, Associate Director of Advancement.
I’ve been interacting with former staff and residents today and they’ve been sharing their experiences with me. It shows me that we get to carry on the good work today that was being done 30, 40, even 120 years ago.
Below Sally (left) and Joyce (right), fomer residents and staff
This is my home. I lived here from 1952 to 1964. The last month I was here I was house mother to 5 girls. I started my job at Carle Hospital while I was [at Cunningham] and I just retired after 50 years. I had a big family that I was close with and I would go back to visit but… [Cunningham] was my home. This is my sister, we grew up here together. — Sally
Below, Rosa, Cunningham resident, 2002-2005
I’ve been looking at books full of pictures from when I was here and I think those were the best years of [Cunningham]. I’ve been through like 4 books already. The best part of living here was that it was fun. And looking back I learned a lot of life skills. But besides that it was so much fun.
Since I’ve left things have been crazy. I had a son, I went to foster care. [Cunningham] teaches you is to move forward with your life and not focus on the past. And so that’s what I’m working on now.
Rosa runs into a former staffer in the hallway and they immediately reconnect.
I left the main building and headed towards the building where the brunch was happening. On the way, current staffers had set up a booth and encouraged those in attendance to fill in the blank, “Hope begins ______,” echoing the organizations motto — hope begins here.
“Hope begins with family”, and I was starting to see that there was a lot of family here. Family that had been put into a tough situation but did the best they could and came out of it with at least someone they could always bump into in a hallway and hug without reservations.
I met Ed Odom (below) outside of the brunch hall. From 1961 to 1976, Odom was Cunningham’s Executive Director:
I just bumped into this young woman here and she was here when I was. It is like seeing family again. We haven’t seen each other in such a long time but the second we do, we love each other, we never lost that.
I had to move on from Cunningham professionally but I left my heart here.
I shook Odom’s hand and thanked him for his time. He walked on and as he did I watched him. And while I did, a man walking up to the event saw Odom, his eyes lit up, and he almost ran to Odom. They embrassed in a hug as the man wept in Odom’s embrace. The moment was magical.
Odom walked on but the people kept coming. They loved him and he loved them.
I turned my attension to someone also watching Odom. His name was Keith (below) and he was a resident from 1980 to 1983:
I was like 17 when I came it. Coming here was really good. I had just left a home that I didn’t fit into and coming here I fit in. What was special about Cunningham was the house parents–they were really good. I was able to get along with all the kids and my experience was just overall good.
You could say I’ve been institutionalized all my life. After Cunningham I went on to work with a police department and now I am a corrections officer. Being back today, it’s nice to see it’s still here. There’s been a lot of growth and improvement.
I moved from outside to inside the brunch hall where people were visiting and eating a staff cooked meal.
I walked into the kitchen and met the staff making food, two of them whom which I’ve known for a long time.
Dan Holmer (below) is a father of a childhood friend of mine. When I was a kid he would bring us to Cunningham for basketball practice. He is, without a doubt, one of the most tender, caring individuals I’ve ever known.
I went back out into the cafeteria. It was buzzing with chatter. I sat down with one couple, the Curtis family, and asked them about their experience as House parents in the 1980’s:
The toughest part of being a house parent was the toughest part of being a parent in general–learning how to be firm with rules while still showing the kids you loved them.
When we moved in, we had an 11-month old boy. When he got older, the other kids taught him how to break down. I can remember him spinning around on the cardboard. That’s one of my favorite memories.
The most rewarding part of this is seeing the kids after they’ve grown up. We hope we see someone here today.
I shuffled around the room and found Sam Banks (below), another former Executive Director at Cunningham from 1982 until 2008. He was also the CEO of Cunningham from 1988 until 2008. He is the current Executive Director at the Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club in Champaign. I know Banks as well. My father and him were close and he greets me with a big smile and a jovial handshake.
What sets Cunningham apart is it’s longevity. We’ve been helping kids in this community who needed help for 120 years. The secret to success has been the commitment of the United Methodist women who have been the stewarts of the organization. Also the organizations ability to change with the times and adapt.
It means a lot to see some kids who was here when I was here. It means that while we were here we were able to do some good. It is incredible to have a facility and staff here to help kids realize there is hope and then to see them go after that is just amazing.
I say goodbye to Banks and he’s immediately approached the Curtis family. He gives them that big friendly smile and handshake and I realize, happily, that Banks makes everyone he meets feel like they are special.
Below, the Curtis family shows Banks photos of their son all grown up.
After brunch the crowd moved back to the main building to hear the former and current executive directors talk and reminise. Charolette Jolly, Director of Advancement, facilitated while Odom, Banks, and Marlin Livingston passed the microphone back and forth laughing, crying, and connecting with each other and the crowd.
Tissues were kept close as the executive directors and the crowd became tearful remembering the good and the bad.
Odom asked to recognizes a women, former resident, who had travled from Maine to be here today.
The hour came to a close and Jolly dismissed the crowd to cake and coffee. The loved continued as former residents and staff approached the executive to hug them and share more memories.
On my way out I met Jack and his wife. Jack had been a resident from 1931 to 1939. He was happy to be here today, back with his family.
The Cunningham Children’s Home is an organization that helps make C-U a very special place. It provides a much needed service, and has for the past 120 years, to children. It is also a place where community members can come together to help one another and future generations. The people I met today were so full of love for one another. Meeting them most definitely gives one hope for the future.