Our Crèche History
The Mission of Crèche is to help children in need in our local area, and to provide its members with opportunities for philanthropic and social work.
Crèche began in 1900 when Elizabeth Scudder Fenton, wife of New York Governor Reuben Fenton, suggested their daughter Josephine Fenton Gifford and her friends meet during Lent to sew garments for babies in WCA Hospital. Even during World War I and World War II, Crèche members continued to raise money and sew garments for children at WCA. Lenten sewing meetings became a Crèche tradition that survives to this day. Longtime Crèche member Katryn Kotsi even created a Crèche pattern for infant gowns used at WCA with snap closures on the sleeves of the gowns. In addition to the gowns and garments provided, Crèche has a long history of helping children hospitalized at WCA and Jamestown General. In the early 1900’s Crèche paid for a maternity bed for unwed mothers. This enabled women to maintain their dignity and have their children without becoming a charge of the City of Jamestown.
In 1933, Crèche assumed responsibility for equipping, decorating, and maintaining a children’s ward at WCA, and providing the funds for the daily care of one hospitalized child. In 1950, Crèche fulfilled its pledge of $20,000 for a new children’s wing at WCA. This wing was dedicated as the “Crèche Wing,” and Crèche continued to pay for maintenance and daily upkeep until 1967 when the State Medicaid program was initiated. Crèche later provided pediatric and maternity equipment to Jamestown General as well. Another renovation of the Crèche Wing was undertaken in 1993, and Crèche donated an additional $20,000 to this project.
Crèche “Tag Days” began during WWII. At that time, local high school students volunteered to stand on the streets of Jamestown and sell red and white diamond-shaped tags to raise money for Crèche. Tag Days remain one of Crèche’s most successful fundraising events of the year and provided the community with a chance to learn about Crèche’s mission to assist children in need. The biannual Rummage Sale originated as a Crèche Thrift Shop, which was opened from 1925 to 1928. Proceeds from the Thrift Shop were used to help children of working parents cared for by Crèche’s Day Nursery. When the Nursery closed during the Great Depression, Crèche started the Rummage Sale to provide for undernourished children. The Rummage Sale continues to this day, producing substantial income for Crèche projects.
Special fund raising projects have been a hallmark of Crèche history since the Easter Dances held in the early 1900’s. During the Great Depression, empty milk bottles were placed in stores and banks so members of the Jamestown community could donate to Crèche. Crèche also hosted musical reviews, street sales of forget-me-not bouquets, style shows, dances, and card parties to raise funds in order to fulfill Crèche’s mission to help children in need. The funds raised enabled Crèche to donate money to the Gustavus Adolphus Children’s Home, Camp Gross, and the Girls’ Club – just to name a few.
During the 1900’s, Crèche partnered with Roswell Park Cancer Institute to help local families with children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Crèche also entered into a program with the James Prendergast Library, “Books for Babies,” to encourage parents to read to their children. Crèche has continued its support of many organizations dedicated to the betterment of children into the 21st Century. The present-day Camperships/Holiday Gifts Committee provides children with gifts at Christmas and with funds to attend area summer camps. The Child Assistance Committee donates beds, linens, clothing, car seats, and other necessities to children in the surrounding community. Since Crèche is a totally volunteer organization, 100% of the money raised goes toward helping children in need. Crèche currently provides between $25,000 and $30,000 each year to help children in the Jamestown area.