Ten years in the making, the stage is now set for Casa de Amparo’s groundbreaking for a new Casa Kids Campus on 11.4 acres of land in Twin Oaks Valley adjacent to San Marcos. The groundbreaking will be held Tuesday, November 16, from 9:30-11am. Construction is planned to start in January 2011. The new campus is the second phase of a $16 million Strategic Capital Campaign. Phase I was the construction of the Family Services and Hayward Child Development Center, which opened in 2007.
The new campus supports Casa de Amparo’s mission of supporting those affected by and at risk of child abuse and neglect through programs and services that promote healing, growth and healthy relationships. The organization will be able to more than double the number of abused and neglected children served as well as offer new programs for populations such as children with special healthcare needs and pregnant or parenting teens. Guest speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony include Nick Macchione, director, San Diego County Health and Human Services, Jim Farley, president and CEO of The Leichtag Family Foundation, and Alexis Parker, executive director of HomeAid San Diego. More than 100 guests are expected to attend.
Thus far, Casa de Amparo has raised $11.3 million of the $16 million needed for the Strategic Capital Campaign, including a $2 million Challenge Grant from The Leichtag Family Foundation and $600,000 from the Price Family Charitable Foundation. The gap is currently $4.7 million although a construction loan from Wells Fargo will enable Casa de Amparo to begin construction while continuing to raise funds.
“Casa de Amparo’s Strategic Plan calls for The Casa Kids Campus to ultimately be debt-free,” says Sharon Delphenich, executive director. “Now, more than ever, we look to the generosity of our supporters, community businesses, organizations, and foundations to show their support for this important project. In-kind donations count toward our financial goal and offset costs, so we are also looking to companies and organizations willing to help by donating labor and/or materials.” HomeAid San Diego is partnering with Casa de Amparo in the project, assisting with in-kind donations.
Naming opportunities are available, allowing donors to honor or pay tribute to friends or loved ones and for Casa de Amparo to recognize individuals, corporations, foundations, or organizations whose contributions support Casa de Amparo’s work in treating and preventing child abuse and neglect in our local community. For more information, please contact Katherine M. Karpé, CFRE, director of development. (760/754-5500, ext. 23, kkarpe@casadeamparo.org)
Members of the community wishing to attend are asked to contact Cassie Barth. (760/754-5500, ext. 29, cbarth@casadeamparo.org)
