For our Recreation-Sponsoring Organization, our group chose to investigate a Non-Profit agency located right in our own community known as the Champaign Crisis Nursery. This organization is a safe haven for children from newborn to five years of age whose families are facing some kind of crisis, and need assistance caring for their child. The center defines crisis as any event in which a parent or guardian cannot administer adequate supervision and care, ranging from high levels of stress to homelessness and domestic violence. They provide a variety of services to the children including daycare, basic education lessons, food, clothing, hygiene and medical assistance, and a warm, safe place to sleep. The center runs one hundred percent on donations and volunteers, averaging about 150 different volunteer individuals a week, and countless donations from local churches and community citizens.
Champaign Crisis Nursery was founded in 1979, after the need to prevent child abuse and neglect within the Champaign community was recommended by the local Council of Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The initial efforts were taken on by a nurse from McKinley Health Center and a social worker at Burnham Hospital, who brought the idea to life and opened the first one-room nursery right inside the hospital itself. After the hospital closed, the nursery was forced to moved to a variety of small temporary locations, before settling into its new home on Hill Street in Urbana. The center is now a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week facility that is aimed to provide emergency crisis care to struggling families and to take prevention a step further. The center works closely with the Provena Covenant Medical Center, as well as many of the other local shelters in order to be the greatest resource for the children possible. While much of the nursery staff consists of a rotating group of a large number of volunteers, the center employs eleven paid individuals who manage everything from basic office work, to childcare and family intervention. All volunteers are required to abide by the regulations set in place by the Department of Children and Family Service, which includes a complete background check, fingerprints, and a collections of references prior to the designated start date. Once cleared, volunteers interact one on one with the children in play, meal times, and basic classroom lessons. Other positions at the center include an executive director, development director, family specialist, marketing and special events director, and a volunteer coordinator. Many of the individuals that hold these positions have degrees in physiology and social work, or some kind of business administration. Just recently, the center hired two staff members with early education backgrounds to ensure that children are constantly being stimulated and educated while at the center. The center looks for individuals who are passionate about children and bettering their community, embody patience and understanding for all of the situations that they encounter, and are able to communicate well in difficult situations. In an interview with the executive assistant, Erika Weiss, she stated, “The pay here is nothing like working for a big corporation, but I love what I do and it really comes with its own rewards.”
This center is a unique RSO, in that it provides a sense of comfort and leisure for children who might not recognize the severity of their situation. While we were not able to take pictures inside the facility in order to ensure the children’s privacy, it is evident that the center provides a stimulating, creative environment even outdoors. Thanks to community donations, the center is equipped with a wide variety of playground equipment to stimulate play and provide exercise. Inside, the center is broken into sections for children of different ages, and continuously incorporates new learning and recreation activities and games. On the day we visited, the older children were painting in the arts and crafts room, while the toddlers play imaginary games in a pop-up castle. The infants there at the time were in a small play area with one-on-one care provided by a group of volunteers from a campus sorority. Our group was struck by the sound of laughter and screeching that filled the space immediately upon walking in the doors. It is evident that definition of leisure for these children involves active play and creative thinking, socializing with others and continuing to explore the world around them.
After speaking with many of the volunteers present that day, it was also apparent that getting to spend time with these children was a form of leisure as well. Many attested that the time allowed them to “be a kid again” or that the “contagious smiles” was reason enough to donate a few hours every week. For these generous individuals, time to engage with children and step away from the stress of school and other activities is considered leisure. Finally, for the administrators of the facility, the center provided leisure in the fact that at the end of the day they knew that there were making a difference in the lives of the families that walked through the door. “I don’t consider what I do work,” said Erika when asked to comment on the definition of leisure, “Actually when things in life are stressful, I come here to unwind. The kids calm me down and make me laugh. There is no better leisure than that.”
One of the main issues we discussed with Erika before leaving that day was how the current financial and economic situation that is plaguing the entire country, especially small towns like Champaign is affecting what the nursery is trying to accomplish. “We have seen a lot more cases of homelessness. When a parent is not sure where they are going to sleep that night, they bring their children here where they know they will be safe.” According to the center’s sources, Champaign has seen a huge spike in homelessness due to loss of jobs, making it difficult to pay for homes and food. Champaign Crisis Nursery also provides extra diapers, clothing and food to families who do not have the means to purchase such items, another service that has also been taken advantage of since hard time have hit. The center stressed the importance of donations so that they might be able to continue to provide a safe haven in the midst of a tough world for those too young to care for themselves.
After leaving the center our entire group was in awe about how much impact a small group of committed individuals can have on a community. More importantly though, we were all so impressed on how they have incorporated the idea of leisure into their mission, even in the midst of crisis and emergency. The services they provide seem basic, but for those who utilize the shelter these necessities are not givens and mean so much. In discussing how this particular RSO incorporates leisure, we were all surprised to discover how many definitions fit under one roof. It really incorporates leisure, recreation and play, while constantly putting smiles on the faces of those who are present. Working at the Champaign Crisis Nursery, or other similar organizations like this, might not prove to the be most profitable, and do involve high stress, serious situations, but for those who choose this path, the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. The ability to work with children, give back, and love the occupation are considered greater reward than any monetary value. A few of us were so moved by the experience that we have even decided to being the process of volunteering at the center, and experience the leisure it provides in a whole new way. 
Kaitlyn Hull, Chirag Sharma, Parth Lakadawala, Alvin Fields, Lauren Bontemps, Erin Furmanek
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