History > About Us > The Children's Guild Foundation

First summer respite experience for children at the summer homes of prominent Western New Yorkers

1909

A dedicated group of women incorporated under the name Crippled Children’s Guild establishing a home on the West side of Buffalo, NY large enough to serve 7 children year-round

1910

Within a year, demand necessitated the purchase of a larger home located at 497 Niagara St., Buffalo, NY enabling residential care for 15 children

1911

First Boy Scout Troop in the United States formed for boys with disabilities

1918

Affiliates with the Joint Charities & Community Fund and begins extensive community fundraising to support the home

1919

Named lead advocate in the United States for special needs children with its support in finding treatments for disabling conditions and its concentration on establishing special education services

1920

Creators of the first Special Event – Per Plate Fundraiser in New York State

1930

Break ground for a new home at 936 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo, NY to increase capacity to serve 200 children

1937

New York State Education Department approves funding for the first special education teacher to be based at the Center

1939

National leaders and advocates in the care and treatment of children suffering from polio by providing long-term inpatient services in the areas of healthcare, education and therapies

1940

Becomes the first to establish an Outpatient Healthcare Facility in the United States

1958

Forms partnership with Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to take-over the medical and clinical services while continuing to fund its physical plant as well as capital expenditures and program services for the programs

1959

Partners with Children's Hospital of Buffalo to establish comprehensive care clinics within rehabilitative medicine

1965

Supports the creation of Early Childhood Direction Center located at its Delaware Ave building to include physical and occupational therapy services

1973

Funds $1 million expansion of Center at 936 Delaware Avenue to support The Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center and Robert Cooke Genetic Research Laboratory

1989

Continues to annually support the operational expenses of the Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center

1990

The Speech-Language-Hearing Department of Children's Hospital of Buffalo is expanded and funded by The Children's Guild to include a Pediatric Feeding & Swallowing Clinic.

1994

Community grant funding programs expands to area nonprofits within the 8 counties of Western New

2000

Organization changes name to The Children’s Guild Foundation

2004

Relocate program services to Children’s Hospital facility for future expansion needs. The organization sells its building at 936 Delaware Avenue and reallocates funding to community nonprofits serving special needs children in its mission areas of healthc

2006

$600,000 grant made to Children’s Hospital to create The Children’s Guild Foundation Autism Spectrum Disorder Center of Excellence

2009

100th Anniversary Year Celebration focused on making transformational changes in the organization's focus areas. A Purpose & Passion Grant in the amount of $100,000 awarded to SABAH & the first Picnic Spectacular held at Cradle Beach Camp

2010

Creation of The Mildred Seegler/Children’s Guild Foundation Respite Home in Buffalo, NY with a $200,000 grant operated by Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled

2014

New 3-year strategic plan adopted focusing on a complex, comprehensive care model for children with special needs including a $500,000 investment at Women and Children's Hospital to begin this work in the WNY community

2015

Advocacy work intensifies as initiatives are begun in the areas of Transition Services, Special Education and Early Childhood Services.

2016

TCGF gifts $2 million to create a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Oishei Children's Hospital and $250,000 to help renovate the Sister's of Charity Hospital NICU

2017

An additional grant of $250,000 is made to The Children's Guild Foundation Down Syndrome Research Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute bringing the total funded to $750,000 towards research in causative genes and therapeutic strategies

2018

TCGF joins area stakeholders to create the Opportunities Collaborative for Special Education Students to ensure all differently abled children in WNY have access to high quality educational opportunities

2019

Foundation continues its focus amid pandemic partnering with nonprofits to adapt to shutdowns and virtual connections.

2020

TCGF adopts a new 3-year Strategic Plan re-enforcing its focus on transformational grant making, creating multi-factorial impact, and cultivating an ongoing relationship between grantees and the Foundation to advance our shared missions.

2022

History

History

First summer respite experience for children at the summer homes of prominent Western New Yorkers

A dedicated group of women incorporated under the name Crippled Children’s Guild establishing a home on the West side of Buffalo, NY large enough to serve 7 children year-round

Within a year, demand necessitated the purchase of a larger home located at 497 Niagara St., Buffalo, NY enabling residential care for 15 children

First Boy Scout Troop in the United States formed for boys with disabilities

Affiliates with the Joint Charities & Community Fund and begins extensive community fundraising to support the home

Named lead advocate in the United States for special needs children with its support in finding treatments for disabling conditions and its concentration on establishing special education services

Creators of the first Special Event – Per Plate Fundraiser in New York State

Break ground for a new home at 936 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo, NY to increase capacity to serve 200 children

New York State Education Department approves funding for the first special education teacher to be based at the Center

National leaders and advocates in the care and treatment of children suffering from polio by providing long-term inpatient services in the areas of healthcare, education and therapies

Becomes the first to establish an Outpatient Healthcare Facility in the United States

Forms partnership with Children’s Hospital of Buffalo to take-over the medical and clinical services while continuing to fund its physical plant as well as capital expenditures and program services for the programs

Partners with Children's Hospital of Buffalo to establish comprehensive care clinics within rehabilitative medicine

Supports the creation of Early Childhood Direction Center located at its Delaware Ave building to include physical and occupational therapy services

Funds $1 million expansion of Center at 936 Delaware Avenue to support The Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center and Robert Cooke Genetic Research Laboratory

Continues to annually support the operational expenses of the Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center

The Speech-Language-Hearing Department of Children's Hospital of Buffalo is expanded and funded by The Children's Guild to include a Pediatric Feeding & Swallowing Clinic.

Community grant funding programs expands to area nonprofits within the 8 counties of Western New

Organization changes name to The Children’s Guild Foundation

Relocate program services to Children’s Hospital facility for future expansion needs. The organization sells its building at 936 Delaware Avenue and reallocates funding to community nonprofits serving special needs children in its mission areas of healthc

$600,000 grant made to Children’s Hospital to create The Children’s Guild Foundation Autism Spectrum Disorder Center of Excellence

100th Anniversary Year Celebration focused on making transformational changes in the organization's focus areas. A Purpose & Passion Grant in the amount of $100,000 awarded to SABAH & the first Picnic Spectacular held at Cradle Beach Camp

Creation of The Mildred Seegler/Children’s Guild Foundation Respite Home in Buffalo, NY with a $200,000 grant operated by Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled

New 3-year strategic plan adopted focusing on a complex, comprehensive care model for children with special needs including a $500,000 investment at Women and Children's Hospital to begin this work in the WNY community

Advocacy work intensifies as initiatives are begun in the areas of Transition Services, Special Education and Early Childhood Services.

TCGF gifts $2 million to create a new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Oishei Children's Hospital and $250,000 to help renovate the Sister's of Charity Hospital NICU

An additional grant of $250,000 is made to The Children's Guild Foundation Down Syndrome Research Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute bringing the total funded to $750,000 towards research in causative genes and therapeutic strategies

TCGF joins area stakeholders to create the Opportunities Collaborative for Special Education Students to ensure all differently abled children in WNY have access to high quality educational opportunities

Foundation continues its focus amid pandemic partnering with nonprofits to adapt to shutdowns and virtual connections.

TCGF adopts a new 3-year Strategic Plan re-enforcing its focus on transformational grant making, creating multi-factorial impact, and cultivating an ongoing relationship between grantees and the Foundation to advance our shared missions.

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