Dear friend,
2016 has been one of the most rewarding and exhausting years of my life. In March, my wife and I welcomed our second son, Grant. I was worried initially that our two-year-old might have trouble with the adjustment, but he’s turned out to be a very caring big brother. While we have certainly faced challenges and missed a huge amount of sleep this year, I’m grateful to have my sons become part of the Children’s Museum community. Between coworkers offering support and other parents offering advice, I’ve experienced first-hand what a wonderful resource it is.
And just as my family has grown, so has the Museum. This year, we welcomed almost 70,000 visitors, presented hundreds of art, science and music programs, hosted dozens of free community events and continued to be the place where kids have the time of their lives. In 2016, we also provided programming to hundreds of families unable to come to the Museum – due to lack of transportation, income, or language barriers. Museum educators went to the Shinnecock Reservation, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, Riverside Rediscovered, the Flanders Community Center, Project Most in East Hampton and the Family Service League’s homeless shelter in Brentwood.
To learn more about the work we’re doing throughout the East End community, please read the stories shared by our friends in the year’s “Museum Update.”
Your support makes this work possible! While admissions, memberships, and program fees account for almost half of the Museum’s income, as a nonprofit organization, we rely on your generosity for the rest of our operating budget. Your continued investment in the Children’s Museum ensures that we can make an enormous difference for families on the East End.
Please make a donation to our Annual Appeal! Just like our children, we appreciate them at every level, size and shape!
Finally, if you know of a family who would benefit from our scholarship program, please call or e-mail me at Steve@cmee.org.
Sincerely,
Steve