Crisis nursery to close its doors for good

South Whidbey’s only crisis and respite care nursery is shutting its doors on Dec. 15. Citing changing community needs as the major reason, the board of directors of In A Pinch Crisis Nursery votes last month to close the nursery, at least for the time being.

“We need to assess the community’s needs for free and low-cost child care,” said Denise Perkins, president of the board.

The body is planning to hold a meeting in early 2005, at which members will hear from members of the community.

Perkins said the board will be addressing several questions, including: Does In A Pinch serve the community we live in today? If not, how can we help and what agencies can help?

“We need to look at the communities needs before we spend more the donation and grant monies,” Perkins said.

In A Pinch Nursery opened five years ago to offer care for children whose parents are in crisis or have a sudden, unexpected need for child care. It is housed, rent free, in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Clinton. Approximately 12 to 15 families use the nursery every month.

Until last year, most of its grant funding came from the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation, which is no longer in existence. The nursery held a box lunch fundraiser annually as well, which raises about $5,000 a year. But without grant funding that isn’t enough to pay for staff and other needs.

Wendy Imbrey, who has been the nursery’s director for two and a half years, said it has been tough to find money to replace the CAPF grants.

“But it’s sad,” Imbrey said. “We fill an important niche in the community offering child care that often isn’t available anywhere else,” she said.

In A Pinch has been serving families with childcare needs in all sorts of situations. The childcare is by appointment only, and requires an intake appointment to assess a family’s specific needs.

“Parents use In A Pinch as a childcare resource when they have medical appointments, court dates and or are seasonal workers,” Imbrey said.

Although some of the parents have found other childcare options, client Dorcas Young hasn’t. She has been finishing her college degree in education with the help of In A Pinch.

Young said it is impossible to find licensed daycare for just a few hours a day. Most places insist on full- or part-time care. Young needs to leave her 5-year-old daughter a few hours a day while she attends college.

“I won’t be able to finish my classes next quarter,” she said. “In a Pinch has been really helpful to me and a lot of people.”

Jeanne Standley-Kinata, said she would not have been able to raise her two children without In A Pinch. She has been a single mother with sporadic work as a caretaker for the elderly.

“Daycare centers wanted me to sign up full time,” she said. “Even when I wasn’t working, they wanted me to pay to hold my slot. I couldn’t afford it.”

Another service In A Pinch has provided in childcare for Parents of Children With Special Needs who meet once a week at the Family Resource Center.

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