In Support of SED

The rumblings started again a couple of years ago after the local elections that some new school committee members wanted to re-evaluate the RFP for after school care.  That was code for - we want changes and maybe we need to find an alternative to SED.  

To quote a recent letter of support for SED:

For decades, SED . . . offers something far more meaningful: a program created by and for Sudbury working families that provides a consistent and nurturing environment where children are known, supported, and encouraged to grow socially, emotionally, and academically.

SED is not simply “childcare.” It is a community of care.

The community connection, individualized care, and culture of the program are what make it effective, and those elements cannot be replicated or replaced.

SED is a local not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide the children of Sudbury’s working parents with nurturing before and after school care.  

But I would argue that their mission extends beyond serving the school age children of Sudbury.  SED has become a pillar of the community for also supporting moms re-entering the workforce and young adults as they start their journeys towards independence.  They are one of the few employers who offer health benefits to employees who work part-time (20 hours a week).  They don’t have to do that, but they do.  It is a testament to their commitment to the community.  They simply get it.  By supporting their staff, they are building that “community of care.”  Furthermore, because it is a local organization, governed by a volunteer parent board, any issues will not go unheard or lost into the ether of some corporate inbox - issues will be addressed locally and personally.

SED is a vestige of a small town community that takes care of each other.  Let’s remember that and take care of SED so that they can continue to take care of us.