In the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Katie Nees and Lindsey Murphy, asked the question, “who are supporting the children?” That one question combined with a passion and skill for supporting children during and following traumatic experiences led to the creation of the Child Life Disaster Relief in 2016. Since then, over 13,000 children have been positively impacted. As the need for Child Life professional support following disasters (natural and man-made) grows, our organization is growing and evolving.
We are thrilled to announce that we have hired our first full-time Executive Director, Jean Cooper, CLS, LCSW. Jean comes to us with over 20 years of experience in child life and clinical social work in non-profit, education and health care.
“I believe each step along my career path has prepared me to take on the great responsibility of supporting the CLDR, its board, volunteers and the children and families it serves to further the mission and goals.” – Jean Cooper
As we begin this next chapter, we invite you to support our mission; to empower and support children and families in crises by integrating child life professionals’ services into impacted communities. Through individualized direct services, community outreach, education, and research, Child Life Disaster Relief mitigates the effects of traumatic events on children and families.
There is often little to no warning when a disaster hits. It is critical for CLDR to be prepared and ready to mobilize. Your financial support will ensure that we have the tools and resources to respond, providing services to children and teenagers directly impacted by these devastating events.