Our Mission
To help children and families shape their own futures.
This mission guides everything we do, from direct services to advocacy and community support.
Our Vision
We envision a healthy community that heals through meaningful connectedness and support.
We believe healing happens when children feel seen, families feel supported, and communities are connected.
Our Values
Can Do Attitude
We approach challenges with determination and optimism, showing children and families that positive change is always possible.
Respectful
We treat every child and family with dignity, kindness, and understanding, creating a safe and welcoming environment.
Passionate
We believe deeply in the potential of every child and bring energy and compassion to everything we do.
Accountable
We take responsibility for delivering high quality services and ensuring families can depend on us.
Dedicated
We are committed to supporting children and families with persistence, care, and wholehearted purpose.
Our Mission in Action
We’re proud to share that our President & CEO, Desiree Jennings, has been selected to join the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit Class 47!
For more than 40 years, Leadership Detroit has brought together leaders from across Southeast Michigan to deepen their understanding of the region, build meaningful connections, and drive positive change.
Through this nine-month experience, Desiree will join more than 75 business and community leaders representing organizations across the region. We’re excited for the perspectives, connections, and insights she’ll bring back to The Children’s Center as we continue helping children and families shape their own futures.
Congratulations, Desiree, and the entire Leadership Detroit Class 47!
Taking this energy with us into fall. 😊🍂
We hope everyone’s September is off to a great start!
Today, we honored 9/11 through service. 💙 We were grateful to welcome students from International Academy and other community volunteers to our campus for the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Together, they helped care for our grounds, set up new kid-friendly furniture in our lobbies, and joined some of our kids in painting rocks to brighten up our campus. Thank you to the Michigan Community Service Commission for partnering with us to make today’s service project possible, and to everyone who spent their day giving back alongside us! 💛 #911MI #911DayOfService #VolunteerDetroit
A little back-to-school joy for your feed. 😊💙
Here’s to a new school year filled with big smiles, new opportunities, and plenty of reasons to celebrate!
We are thrilled to announce that our organization has been selected to receive a charitable contribution from GE Aerospace!
This funding will help us advance our mission and drive meaningful progress in the communities we serve. Thank you, GE Aerospace, for your support and commitment to making a difference!
Learn more about our work: thechildrenscenter.com
💙 69 volunteers. 278 hours. One incredible day of impact.
While hundreds of families joined us for our Health & Wellness Fair and children picked up backpacks filled with supplies at our Back-to-School Backpack Bazaar, an amazing team of volunteers was working behind the scenes to make it all happen.
From welcoming families and helping with activities to distributing backpacks and keeping everything moving, these volunteers helped create so many smiles throughout the day.
A huge THANK YOU to all 55 Health & Wellness Fair volunteers, including @ally , @walgreens , Tau Beta Association, and @2timesfocus and the 14 volunteers from @meijerstores and @tigerscommunity Ilitch Sports + Entertainment who supported Backpack Bazaar distribution. We truly couldn’t have done it without you! 💛
We’re excited to once again be a Core Charity Partner of Arts, Beats & Eats, happening September 4–7 in Downtown Royal Oak!
Spend the weekend enjoying incredible art, live music across 11 stages, delicious food, carnival rides, shopping, family fun and more, all while supporting local nonprofits like The Children’s Center. 💙
🎟️ Admission is FREE Friday before 5 PM!
Festival hours:
Friday–Sunday | 11 AM–11 PM
Monday | 11 AM–9 PM
🎒 2,000 backpacks. 2,000 kids ready for a new school year! 💙
Thanks to the incredible support of the @tigerscommunity Foundation and @meijerstores, children across our community are heading back to school with backpacks filled with supplies, hygiene items and everything they need to feel prepared and confident.
And of course, a few hugs from PAWS made the day even sweeter. 🐯💛
Over the past three years, the Tigers Foundation has helped provide 5,500 backpacks to local students. We’re so grateful for a partnership that continues to show up for Detroit’s kids!
⏰ Last chance to give!
The Rocket Community Challenge ends today at 5 PM! There’s still time to make your gift and help us finish strong for the children and families we serve. 💙
Every gift makes a difference.
Give today!
Join us in Downtown Royal Oak September 4–7 for one of Michigan`s favorite Labor Day weekend traditions. Enjoy 🎨 incredible art, 🎶 live entertainment across 11 stages, 🍴 delicious food, 🎡 carnival rides, shopping, family activities, and so much more—all while supporting local nonprofits like ours.
⏰ Festival Hours • Friday–Sunday: 11 AM – 11 PM • Monday: 11 AM – 9 PM 🎟️ Admission: $12 before 5 PM, $15 after 5 PM, and FREE Friday before 5 PM. Discounted pre-sale tickets are available.
Thank you for supporting our mission and helping us continue making an impact in our community. We hope you`ll celebrate Labor Day weekend with us!
🎉 Learn more at artsbeatseats.com.
861 community members. One incredible day! 💙
Last Thursday, our annual Health & Wellness Fair brought children and families together for a day filled with resources, connection, and plenty of fun! From vision services and community resources to bubbles, face painting, a bounce house, and Italian ice, there was something for everyone. 🫧🎨☀️
A huge thank you to @savvysliders for providing lunch and to all of our community vendors who connected families with resources to help them head into the fall supported and set up for success.
Thank you to everyone who made this day possible! 💛
We’re excited to welcome Renee Pompi as The Children’s Center’s new Chief Philanthropy Officer! 💙
With extensive experience in nonprofit development, fundraising, and community engagement, Renee brings a passion for building meaningful relationships and connecting people to a shared purpose.
In her new role, Renee will lead our philanthropic efforts and help build partnerships that strengthen our mission and expand opportunities for the children and families we serve.
Please join us in welcoming Renee to The Children’s Center! ✨
What began as a way to honor a sister became a gift to hundreds of children. 💙
In memory of her sister Shannon, Sherry Soenen collected hundreds of brand-new children’s shoes and socks through Shannon’s Shoe Closet to donate to kids here at The Children’s Center.
The shoe drive has been a wonderful success and such a meaningful way to honor Shannon’s love of shoes, her life as a teacher, and the joy she brought to so many. 👟💙
Thank you to Sherry and everyone who came together to make this special donation possible!
Less than 48 hours until our annual Health & Wellness Fair! 🎉
A big thank you to @fox2detroit for helping us spread the word about this fun, family-friendly event.
Check out our President & CEO, Desiree Jennings, chatting with Lee Thomas about all the resources, activities, and fun families can look forward to! 🩺💚 We hope to see you Thursday, August 20, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.!
🎥Watch the interview: https://www.fox2detroit.com/video/fmc-tarpfm6y074ml4ag
📲 Pre-register for the Health & Wellness Fair: https://www.thechildrenscenter.com/event/health-and-wellness-fair/
And a special thank you to @brownkoffey for helping amplify our work and making this interview possible! 🙌
🎉 We`re proud to be a Core Charity Partner at Michigan Lottery Arts, Beats & Eats in Downtown Royal Oak!
Join us September 4–7 for an incredible Labor Day weekend featuring 🎨 juried fine art, 🎶 live music across 11 stages, 🍴 amazing food, 🎡 carnival rides, vendors, family fun, and more!
⏰ Festival hours: • Friday–Sunday: 11 AM – 11 PM • Monday: 11 AM – 9 PM
🎟️Admission is $12 before 5 PM, $15 after 5 PM, and FREE Friday before 5 PM. Discounted pre-sale tickets are available at showpass.com/2026abe.
Come out, enjoy the festival, and help support our mission, we can`t wait to see you there! ❤️
Learn more at artsbeatseats.com
