For several charitable organizations, the holiday season - like the rest of the year - is a time to help those dealing with some of life's toughest problems and providing solutions to those problems. In the week leading up to Christmas, the News Tribune is showcasing people whose lives have been impacted by United Way of Central Missouri partner agencies and supporters in the annual "A Christmas Wish" series.
Jade Sanders, of Jefferson City, grew up going to Little Explorers Discovery Center. After having three children of her own and looking for a place for her youngest two, Hudson, 2, and Phoenix, 1, the decision was easy. Now from the perspective of a parent, the accredited early childhood education center has become more than child care - it's a place full of people she can trust.
"I went here, so it was pretty comforting to begin with," Sanders said. "It was a good decision, too."
The center, which has been part of the community since 1966 and became a United Way partner agency in 1970, has been serving children from birth to age 8 and, in families like Sanders', for multiple generations. Its mission is to provide quality early childhood education services in a caring environment, focusing on children of low- and middle-income working families.
Being an accredited early childhood education center, there are quality standards that must exceed basic licensing standards, Executive Director Donna Scheidt said. Little Explorers' sliding fee scale also helps meet families where they're at financially, making it a more accessible option.
"Our doors are open to all families as long as the parent is either working or going to school," she said.
When Hudson, 2, started going to the center a year ago, it was just the change he needed. Having been to previous early childhood centers where children of different ages were in classes together, being in a class for 2-year-olds paired with the patience of his teachers helped him maintain progress at his age level.
As Sanders spoke about the growth she has seen in Hudson and her daughter, Phoenix, her face lit up.
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Hudson is learning how to write his name - "which is crazy to me," she said - and Phoenix is "a little firecracker" in her classes. Their teachers let her know if they are struggling with anything, but also how to cope with these patterns or behaviors like tantrums or acting out.
"I'm just a mom and not always educated in that, so they've given me a lot of really good pointers," she said. "They're little people, but they're still learning everything."
Sanders said the staff have been a fundamental source of support through her 2 years in recovery.
"I really had to sit back and think about that. There was part of my kids' life that I wasn't in recovery," Sanders said. "As I transitioned, it felt like I almost had to learn everything over again and how to be a mom. They really helped me with that."
Sanders said this progress wouldn't be possible without a key part of Little Explorers Discovery Center: understanding. Through life transitions and difficult situations, the staff have not only been aware, but also offered Sanders support.
She recalled a weekend when multiple staff members messaged her, saying, "If you need something, call me."
The center has been helpful to many families thanks to people like Scheidt, who makes sure they have necessary resources along with quality education, Sanders said.
"If there were things we were struggling with at home or if we needed anything - whether it be clothes or diapers - she would find a way to get them for us," she said. "I'm pretty protective of my kids, so that's big that I don't feel like I ever have to worry."
Sanders' wish for this year is for the staff and center to keep supporting families like theirs.