2122 Erie Blvd. East
Syracuse, NY 13224
(315) 471-8331
FAX 475-2622
Executive Director:
Linda Cleary
lcleary@consortiumchildren.org
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Our History...
Concerned that many c
hildren were unable to succeed and flourish because their needs were not being met by their families or by existing agencies in the community, representatives from area groups gathered in the early 1970s to find ways to improve the quality of life for children and their families. A nucleus of the groups then established The Education Committee to address the needs of children in the community. This committee recruited professionals from the health, social services, education and recreation fields to research the services that were being offered to area youngsters. Their combined findings indicated that such services were lacking.Before they could help these children, this team needed to raise money. To address this vast need, The Consortium Gift Shop was established in downtown Syracuse. Craftspeople wanted an attractive place to consign their creations, and The Consortium required a focal point where information about its concerns for children and methods for meeting their needs could be disseminated to the public. The gift shop opened in 1973 at 123 East Water Street in Hanover Square, one of the oldest retail establishments in the area.
Early in 1975, The Consortium collaborated with the Onondaga County Department of Social Services on the need for preventive services for young children. This collaboration resulted in the Magic Bus that trained childcare providers in their own family daycare homes. Today, this highly effective program continues to give daycare providers the resources they need to keep their skills and licensing current.
The Teen Parents and Babies program, developed in 1987 to aid in the education, health and childcare for an adolescent and her/his baby, continues to help young parents and their children today. Presently the program teaches parents to be their child's first and best teacher, and lends toys and equipment to families in need.
The Consortium Gift Shop closed in 1996 so that more attention could be given to expanding programs and services for area youngsters.
The 1990s brought additional programs to The Consortium that address clients' educational, social and economic needs. The Even Start program was developed in 1997 in collaboration with OCM-BOCES to provide families with home-based services targeting improving family literacy, parenting skills and employment opportunities. FamiliesWorkÔ, our newest program, tailors private and job-site programs with customized themes specific to the needs of working caregivers who are concerned with a wide range of issues.
As the 21st Century begins, The Consortium began strategic planning with board and staff members. This process is on-going as the agency completes and continues to develop new action plans for short and long term goals.
The Consortium For Children’s Services, serving Central New York for over 30 years, is a non-profit agency with United Way funded programs that provides home- and center-based services that empower caregivers to promote successful emotional, physical, educational and economic outcomes for children and their families.