Gracie's Room was established at Dianjiang SWI in May 2006 and operated until April 2008 with more than 54 children passing through the program with great results reported.
Fewer and fewer children are being abandoned in Dianjiang and there is no longer the need for Gracie's Room here. Currently only children under 3 months remain at the orphanage. The rest of the children are in Foster Care.
The need for Gracie's Room remains in other parts of China though, and in May 2008, Dianjiang Kids International began a Gracie's Room project at XinXiang SWI in Henan.
Gracie Mei Reilly, age 3, died on July 29, 2004 of sudden onset acute leukemia. This beautiful, happy girl spent two loving years with her Forever Family, who miss her greatly.
Cathy, Gracie's mother, writes, "We were meant to show Gracie what it meant to have a family, a home, and people who loved her until it was her time to go. I will be eternally grateful for all she brought to my life."
How can YOU help?
A donation to Gracies room will help pay for a nanny to come and play with the babiesto help them develop better motor skills and to give them one-on-one time with a caregiver.
I know we are making her proud with "Gracie's Room" and the work we are doing in Dianjiang. All Gracie wanted was to play with her brothers and sister, and "hold you" as she would say. Now in Gracie's Room all her brothers and sisters can play, and they have someone to "hold you.
From Cathy Reilly, "Gracie's Mom"
There is a board book for young children called What do Babies Need. It starts out with some of baby's most basic needs - food, blankets, bottles, baths - then it goes on to say that babies need to play, they need love, they need to laugh, they need hugs and kisses. In a loving family all of these needs would be met as a matter of course, but in an orphanage setting it is often difficult for the caregivers to meet the needs of the babies beyond the basics.
The goal of the Gracies Room program is to create a time and place when babies get *all* of their needs met. Babies in Gracies Room receive more individualized care and have the chance to develop a significant attachment to a primary caregiver. They spend time on the floor exploring their world and developing their muscles. In short, the babies get the chance to play, laugh, receive physical affection from their special nanny, and feel loved and valued.
The nannies work six days a week, Monday to Saturday, 8 hours daily. Each nanny is assigned three to five babies. She works with these same babies every day from the time they enter the program until they are adopted, enter foster care, or age out of the program.
At the start of her shift, each nanny puts her personal things away, washes her hands, and quickly checks to make sure the room is ready for babies. Then she goes to the regular infant room and greets each of her babies. She picks up one or two and brings them to Gracie's Room, then works with the other nannies, taking turns, until all the babies have been brought to the room.
Each nanny spends a minimum of four hours per day interacting with her babies in Gracie's Room. This includes playing with them on the floor, holding them, feeding them, and bathing them. The nannies are trained, using Half the Sky's methods and Chinese Children Charities' expertise, to engage the babies in activities that encourage them to develop physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.
At the end of the day, the nannies again work together, taking turns, to return the babies to their regular rooms. As she says good-bye to her babies, the nanny hugs them and talks to them about when she will see them again. After the babies have been returned, the nannies take a few minutes to straighten the room, wash toys, and write in the babies' journals.
During the time the babies spend with their Gracie's Room nannies, the nannies are responsible for the needs of the baby such as feeding, diapering, and bathing.
Jiang Mei You
Jiang Mei You is the first baby adopted from Gracie's Room.
Her mother writes:
To say that she is amazing is the greatest of understatements, but she is. She has been to the doctor and it has been decided she needs no early intervention. She began walking a month after she arrived home and soon she was dancing and running! She feeds herself, sleeps 10-12 hours a night and eats EVERYTHING! She is social beyond anything I could have dreamed; she loves everyone and smiles and charms the socks off of everyone too! She imitates so many actions; she loves music and gives GREAT kisses! If I have said it once I have said it a million times that I believe this is all because of the care she received in Gracies Room.
There could be no other explanation. Carolyn C.
Dianjiang Kids International's Foster Care Program began in January 2005. Since its inception more than 169 children have been provided a foster home through the generous donations of our sponsors. The purpose of the Foster Care Program is for each child at Dianjiang Social Welfare Institute to experience the love and warmth of a foster family while waiting to be united with their forever family. Each child receives individual attention, has the opportunity to form a bond with their foster parent and experience life in a family. This early exposure to family life makes a profound impact on a child's development and ability to bond with his or her forever family. For the children that are not adopted, it provides them a life in a home with a family rather than growing up in the orphanage.
You can make a difference. You can sponsor a child for a year, month or make a donation of any amount. A one-year sponsorship is $240, one month is $20. However, a donationof any amount can be combined with other donations to fully sponsor a child. You will receive a report and photo of your sponsored child.
Sponsors who choose to sponsor for a year will receive quarterly updates and photos on their sponsored child.
You can improve the life of a child. You can make a difference!
