A few years ago, my friend Alison Anthony, CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way, adopted a phrase that has stuck with me ever since, “Everybody needs help sometimes.” It simple but all so true!
As we addressed in another blog, we weren’t just opening a business when we decided to open a Celebree School here in Tulsa. From our involvement with non-profits in the Tulsa community, Jennifer and I learned a child and their family can’t learn and thrive if they’re struggling to keep the lights or put food on the table. So supporting our Celebree families means supporting people when they need a hand up in our community. That belief is also why Celebree’s approach leveraging Conscious Discipline and Teaching Strategies helps provide a constructive backdrop while the children also are exposed to observe empathy and connection. These connections are what we call “Community Connections” and I see them as a part of our school helping children be truly ready for kindergarten.
That’s what makes it meaningful when one of our own Celebree parents, Ashley Davidson, told us about her work at Emergency Infant Services (EIS). EIS has been quietly meeting one of the most basic needs in our city since 1977 — diapers, formula, and supplies for infants and toddlers in crisis, with no waiting periods and no red tape. A hungry child cannot wait, and EIS operates like they know that in their bones.
We’re collecting diapers and wipes here at Celebree School of Tulsa through September 14th to support EIS and the families they serve. You can watch Ashley’s video on Instagram here:
— Karl Neumaier, Owner, Celebree School of Tulsa
