At our September 16, 2024 Rotary Meeting, our guest Cate Anderson, Executive Director of the Children’s Museum and Family Resource Center of Skagit County.
Cate moved from the Mid West to the PNW in 2003. Over her career, she was a Montessori Teacher, Counselor and Horseman. She worked at H&R Block as an accountant. She opened the first Children’s Museum in Mt Vernon in 2003, then to the Cascade Mall in 2008 to gain more space. In 2019 Cate managed and moved to the Outlet Mall shops. Cate has been on the Women’s Shelter Board for years, leading the Teen Hotline. Cate partnered with her stepdaughter to open the Children’s Museum in Fairbanks Alaska. Cate is married to her husband Howard and has 3 daughters.
Cate shared she is in her 21st year at the Children’s Museum. She describes her role as exciting and always looking for growth and change. In the early days in Mt Vernon, she secured a 200K Federal HUD grant, however was unable to utilize it since there was no flood wall in the building at the original location. Looking to grow, Cate moved the Museum to the Cascade Mall securing 6000 SF, at the cost of $1.00 every 7 years. They survived the economic downturn, and when Sears closed their location as Cascade Mall, the Museum was able to expand to 11,000 SF with larger exhibits, a preschool that runs from 9:00-12:00 and are focused on social and emotional learning and bonding for the children.
In 2018, they were forced to find a new home when the Cascade Mall was sold and moved to the Outlet Mall in Burlington Plaza and were able to increase their footprint to 15,400 SF. Her only regret is that they didn’t make the office space larger, so they are a bit crowded in that area. For the move, they started construction in early 2019 and were fully open on August 31st, 2019.
During the COVID year (s) they were able to keep the preschool running with a lot of PPE, cleaning products, and help from the Federal Funding of the Cares Act. Cate and her teammates had to go to the location daily, if for nothing else but to feed the Sea Horses.
In October of 2020, they launched the “Help Me Grow Skagit Family Resource Center, initially with Cares Act funding through Skagit Counting. They serve 65-75 families per week, with basic needs such as diapers, wipes, formula, and cleaning supplies. Over 750,000 diapers have been distributed. Two car seat safety-trained technicians are on the team to assist with car seats and installation, and safe sleep items for infants. They are open 360 days a year and have 21 members on the staff now. Each one loves what they do and wears many hats. They tell people who apply for positions that if they like to do the same things each day with repeatable tasks, this would NOT be the job for them.
The Resource Center aspect of the space provides a variety of services. A pediatrician started the Family Resource Navigator, due to the many resources that many people don’t know about. Referrals to the food bank, health care, new mothers and babies leaving the hospital with infant seats that are the right size for their newborns. The facility can work and plan with families as well as finding emergent help when needed. The facility is equipped to speak (3) languages to support our community.
In 2022 Patty Murray sponsored Project Family, allowing the Museum and Family Resource Center to receive a Federal HUD Grant. It took until March 2024 for Congress to get the bill passed. The museum is adding “sensory friendly time” w/SPARC where the lights are turned down and children experience each other and activities with their other senses, other than just eyesight.
Cate shared that one of the children, a 17-year-old girl, was given a birthday party – the first she had in her life and what an impact it had on her and her family. The Museum is adding camps, classes, and experiences and making them as accessible as possible for all to attend. Those families that join the family resource center, get a free pass to the museum. Families pay as they can or nothing at all.
Key programs: Masked up Mondays for medically fragile children and their families, Museum Explorers Preschool, which started in 2013, Field Trips, Birthday Parties and Celebrations, Scholarship Programs, Corporate Meeting/Training Site, Museum Toy Store. They will be adding a Flight Exhibit soon.
The 21st Annual Charity Auction in support of the Children’s Museum is Oct 12th, doors open at 5:30 pm. Learn more & Register at SkagitChildrensMuseum.net.
Thank you Cate for such a wonderful program and sharing.
Pam Narron shared the inspiration for the evening. As the air starts to change to brisk Fall weather and the season’s bounty moves from Summer to Fall, Pam shared the poem “For the Garden of Your Daily Living” – Author Unknown
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
Peace of mind, Peace of heart, Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH;
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash grumbling
Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be patient
Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS;
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME;
Thyme for each other
Thyme for family
Thyme for friends
Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow