The Children’s Museum has offered weekly arts programming in the offices of Riverside Rediscovered since 2013.
(Photo credit: Krysten Massa)
Dear Friend,
Hi! Our names are Diana, Jennifer and Tanya and we are parents and caregivers from Riverside, which, even though it’s in the Town of Southampton, is the poorest community on all of Long Island. We’re writing to tell you how much the Children’s Museum of the East End has helped change our lives and fostered a sense of community for our families.
For three years, the Children’s Museum has presented an amazing series of weekly art and science classes for our kids. Unfortunately, they’ve had to do it in a storefront because there’s no other space. Through our persistence, we were able to convince the Town to build a new facility dedicated to children’s programming; but the Children’s Museum needs your help to make sure the site can offer exhibits and programs seven days per week. As this article explains, this new location is set to open next year.
In Riverside, the Children’s Museum is the only place outside of school for kids to get together. Although we are a mere 25 miles from Bridgehampton, many people in our community don’t own cars. With a bus ride taking over 2 hours, traveling to Bridgehampton is practically impossible.
What we like best about the Museum is the sense of community. Our children feel at home during the Museum’s programs. They’re free to be themselves. They are not afraid to speak up or ask questions. Our children love the atmosphere and we, as parents, love that we’ve been given the opportunity to build lasting friendships especially with people from different backgrounds.
We need programs that help our children learn and build confidence. Since the Museum’s programs are child-directed, they help kids learn how to make their own decisions. Our kids love that the programs are playful and fun, but what’s most important to us is how much they learn. Every time we come home from one of the Museum’s programs, we can see how our kids benefit. Whether it’s learning about the parts of the body or overcoming shyness, it’s incredible to watch them grow and develop.
The Children’s Museum is helping to revitalize our community. With poverty and unemployment rates so high in Riverside, most people don’t appreciate our hamlet—it’s just a place they drive through. By having the Children’s Museum in Riverside, people from all over Eastern Long Island will be attracted to the hamlet, which will help our entire community thrive.
Without your generosity, none of this is possible. Please make a gift today so that all children on the East End – regardless of income, ability or background – have a place to learn and play.
Thank you for helping the Children’s Museum ensure that all of our families’ futures are bright!
Sincerely,
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