If you grew up watching the sitcom, Home Improvement, you might remember Tim Taylor’s favorite question before every project: “What time is it?” Tool Time!
Well… it’s time for a little home improvement—Cunningham style. Or as we like to call it, HOPE Improvement.
Back in 2005, the doors of our Residential Treatment Center (RTC) opened providing a place where youth could find stability, safety and a true sense of belonging. Since then, about 30 young people at a time have called the RTC home for 18–24 months. And when a youth moves on, stronger and ready for the future, another arrives hoping for that same chance.
Over the years, hundreds of kids have gathered around our tables and much like in many homes, that’s where life happens. It’s where tough days get talked through, advice is shared (wanted or not!), celebrations happen and sometimes it’s just pizza and laughter. These dining areas are where trust is built and lives begin to change. But after two decades, they’re showing their age, and the spaces that have given so much are ready for a little care themselves.
We’d like to refresh the kitchens and dining areas in our Jedi and Cornerstone residential units, providing spaces that feel warm, welcoming and built to last. Plans include replacing worn materials, adding durable new countertops and a stainless-steel sink, updating flooring, installing a new backsplash and a fresh coat of paint.
For the boys who live with us, normal experiences matter. Sitting down to a meal in a welcoming space helps create the stability and sense of belonging every young person deserves. This renovation will also help our staff by creating a more comfortable, easy-to-use space where they can connect with youth, share meals and focus on what matters most—building strong, supportive relationships with our kids.
Justin, a Medical Liaison in Cornerstone, is the link between our youth, staff and medical providers to ensure continuity of care, and he uses the dining room every day to do it. It’s also where he connects with kids through magic, chess, board games—whatever sparks their interest. He has a gift for meeting them where they are, and so many meaningful conversations have happened right at that table.
The total cost for this undertaking is $35,000 per unit, or $70,000 for both spaces. and we need your help to bring this vision fully to life.
Will you help us build hope, one meal, one conversation, one young life at a time? Your gifts will go a long way in providing a welcoming atmosphere where our youth feel truly at home.
If Tim Taylor were here, he’d say “More power!”—but at Cunningham, we know the real power comes from caring donors like you!