Mtn Community Childrens Centre Fire

In the early morning hours on Monday 6 November 2017 the Mountain Community Children's Centre in Mangrove Mountain, NSW Central Coast, was burnt down. Two of the three buildings were gutted and the entire centre has been closed. Fortunately no one was injured, however the damage and loss has been devastating.

Video via @afoxyfoto

THE BACK STORY
Built in 1983 Mountain Community Children's Centre is family run. The centre employs 15 staff and it cares for about 90 children ages 0-6 from the local and surrounding country communities of Kulnura, Bucketty, Mangrove Mountain, Central Mangrove, Yarramalong, Spencer and Somersby. As a result of the closure more than 70 families have been impacted as the centre is the only early learning facility in the area. Being a small community everyone has been affected, displaced, shocked and saddened to say the least.







BEFORE THE FIRE - IMAGES


WHAT WE NEED
This GoFundMe campaign is to help with the costs of  rebuilding the centre at the current location. We are able to move to a temporary location in the coming weeks, however the rebuild on the original centre site will be a long, involved and costly process which will take up to or more than a year. The centre suffered extensive damage in the fire with the repair costs expected to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This fundraising will help cover some of our relocation costs such as making the temporary facility safe for the children to attend. Fencing, new shade areas outside and basic items such as tables, chairs and nappy changing tables will need to be purchased.

Our kids are feeling the impact as they no longer have their friends and teachers and familiar place to go to learn and play. It has been quite distresssing for some of them. Working parents who rely on the centre for daycare are left with very few options for childcare support on a daily basis.

As well as assistance with the rebuild we also need to replace toys, bikes, resources, art and craft items including easles, paints, paper, pencils as well as books and many family bought items which were lost such as hats, spare clothing etc. The teachers have lost personally bought resources accumulated over many years for the kids to enjoy, along with written information on each individual childs learning and development.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATE to our fundraising campaign on this GoFundMe page. Any help you can offer - small or big - is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

SHARE our GoFundMe link on social media and with friends - spread the word and let people know where they can donate.

GoFundMe Mountain Community Children's Centre Fire Rebuild

https://www.gofundme.com/mountaincommunitycentrerebuild

FOLLOW our Facebook page @MountainChildren.au
We will be posting regular updates and information on future fundraising projects.

We are so lucky to be a part of such a positive, caring and supportive community - the outreach of help, kindness, strength and compassion is overwhelming.

Please email us if you need any further information or can help in any other way. Please say hello through our GoFundMe contact.

PRESS
Please click on the links for further media information on the fire and future fundraising projects.

The Daily Telegraph, Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate
6 November 2017

First Fundraiser After Childcare Centre Fire
The Daily Telegraph Central Coast Gosford Express AdvocateFirst Fundraiser After Childcare Centre Fire
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