Giving

Capital Projects

Celebrating Every Child’s Next Step

Campaign Goal: $2,500,000
Public Launch: Fall 2011

For 77 years, WVCA rented facilities in the Wilkes-Barre area at the Kirby Memorial Health Center.  As the agency progressed and changed with the needs of children, the facilities were stretched to their limits.  Additional rental spaces provided more classroom space, but fragmented programming and personnel resources.   The agency had maximized every resource the Kirby Health Center had made available.  WVCA did not have enough space to effectively serve its children and had to face the challenge of becoming stagnant or looking for a bigger, better-suited home that could house the entire agency under one roof.

After carefully weighing options for the future, WVCA’s Board of Directors made the decision to embark on an exciting journey to find and finance a new home for the agency and its children.  In December 2007, WVCA purchased a 21,260 sq. ft. facility, located at 1133 Wyoming Avenue, Forty Fort, for $925,000 thus beginning the agency’s first ever capital project.  The first phase of renovations and construction was completed by September 1, 2008 at a cost of $717,293.33. The second phase of the capital project includes the construction of an elevator and a handicapped accessible playground.  The approved contractor cost for the elevator project is $222,137.00; work began in mid-November 2009 and completion expected by April 2010.  The cost of the playground project is $82,166.00 and work is slated to begin May 2010.

The need for a centralized facility to host WVCA’s various programs and services is essential in providing quality services to local children and families.  The new facility emphasizes:

  • Building accessibility (upon completion of the new elevator)
  • Opportunities for community outreach and collaboration with other agencies such as the Hazleton Area School District and Head Start of Luzerne County
  • Outdoor areas for recreation, parking and safe drop-off and pick-up areas for children
  • Dedicated space for clinics and therapy programs
  • All services under one roof
  • Child-friendly classrooms

For Wyoming Valley Children’s Association to remain a leader in providing individualized therapeutic services and inclusive preschool education programs to local children, there are three priorities that need to be met over the next several years.  These priorities encompass an endeavor to raise a total of $2.5 million in Celebrating Every Child’s Next Step Campaign.

  1. Purchase and Renovate the New Facility ($2 Million)
  2. Secure Additional Funds For Agency Endowment ($500,000)

Campaign Timeline and Building Phases:

  • December 2007–Board of Directors Approves the purchase of a new home for WVCA
  • May 2008–Board of Directors officially sanctions Celebrating Every Child’s Next Step Campagin
  • August 2008–Renovation and Construction of new center completed
  • September 2008–Justin and Corky Bergman named Honorary Chairs
  • October 2008–Dan Meuser is named campaign chair
  • November 2008–new center dedicated
  • April 2009–Campaign reaches $1 million in gifts and commitments
  • June 2010–Construction of Elevator and Handicapped Entrance completed
  • August 2010–Construction of new Handicapped Accessible Playground completed
  • January 2011–Campaign reaches $2 million in gifts and commitments


To learn more, click here to download our capital campaign brochure.

If you are interested in making a donation or learning about ways to give to the capital campaign, click here to download the capital campaign contribution form.