| 1894 |
On Thanksgiving Day; Judge Joseph Oscar Cunningham
and his wife Mary McConoughey Cunningham donate
their rural Urbana home, "The Cedars" and 15 acres
of surrounding property to the Women's Home Missionary
Society of the Illinois Conference (WHMS-IC) Methodist
Episcopal Church. The warranty deed and codicil
specified that the Home should be used for the purposes
of helping needy children. This created a living
trust between the WHMS and the Cunninghams to care
for children in perpetuity. |
| 1895 |
Cunningham Home opens its doors in October providing
a base for deaconesses who served as child care
workers for the orphanage and as lay ministers for
the community. |
| 1906 |
Cunningham Home hires local employees to work
in the orphanage due to a chronic shortage of deaconesses
available for the assignment. |
| 1910 |
The Board of Managers changes the name of the
Home to Cunningham Children's Home and makes it
an orphanage. By this time a large dormitory, nursery,
kindergarten and schoolroom, boys' dormitory, and
a hospital room have been added to the original
home. |
| 1911 |
An additional building is added for school classrooms
and a medical ward. |
| 1921 |
The Board incorporates Cunningham Children's
Home in the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit
institution. |
| 1925 |
The Urbana School District expands its boundaries
to encompass the Cunningham Home property, and residents
at Cunningham are able to attend Urbana public schools.
|
| 1937 |
The State of Illinois creates county welfare
departments and increased funding to aid dependent
children. Professionally trained social workers
are employed which has a major impact on the Cunningham
caseload; more children are granted dependency decrees
from the courts and a higher percentage were brought
to the Cunningham by government officials. |
| 1940 |
Four more buildings are constructed for dormitories,
a dining room and a kitchen, an infirmary, a heating
plant, and the Cunningham farmer/gardener. |
| 1949 |
Sarah English becomes superintendent of Cunningham
Children's Home and changes the home from an orphanage
into a residential treatment center incorporating
modern child care methods. Cunningham now meets
all institutional standards and is better able to
meet the future needs of Illinois children. Professional
social work philosophy and techniques are introduced.
|
| 1960 |
Cunningham has shifted from custodial care to
a "cottage system" where children live in family-like
homes in groups of ten and treatment services in
the form of casework or group work are available.
Three of five planned cottages (Inez Rose, Sarah
English and Trevett) have been built and the dormitory
areas are downsized to comply with the cottage concept.
Fifty children now lived at Cunningham and the average
age of the children was 15 years old. The new philosophy
is to help children become healthy individuals.
|
| 1968 |
Cunningham now meets the 1964 Child Welfare of
America League definition of a treatment center
with its social work/therapeutic focus. Intake policy
now requires the acceptance of children deemed dependent
but not delinquent by the court. Referral from the
court or other social welfare agency was the only
route to admission. Individual referrals are no
longer be accepted. Cunningham now accepts children
regardless of race, creed or color. |
| 1969 |
The Girls Group Home is opened in Champaign to
provide a residential setting for teenage girls
to prepare for healthy independence in the community.
|
| 1971 |
Laban Peck Cottage is opened. |
| 1975 |
Odom Recreation Center is opened and houses the
professional recreation program including art, music,
physical activities. |
| 1976 |
Cunningham has completed its transition and is
firmly established as a residential treatment center
for youth from abusive and neglectful situations.
Discharge is determined by the end of treatment
as decided by the professional child care staff.
|
| 1982 |
Gerber School is opened to meet residents' special
education needs. Cunningham youth attend grades
4 through 12 here. |
| 1989 |
Goodman Cottage is opened. |
| 1990 |
The Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program is established
to provide support to young women and to help them
learn independent living and parenting skills. |
| 1995 |
Kendall Gill Boys Group Home is opened in Urbana
as a residential group home for teenage boys. |
| 1996 |
Cunningham Children's Home purchases 17 acres
of adjacent land in preparation for future expansion.
|
| 1997 |
Treatment Foster Care program is established
and begins to seek foster care parents who will
accept Cunningham youth into their home. |
| 1999 |
CIRCLE Academy Day Treatment School opens on
the Cunningham campus to provide area youth with
special education services. |
| 2001 |
The Cunningham Children's Home Foundation is
established. |
| 2004 |
Construction begins on a new 30-bed residential and clinical/health services building. |
| 2005 |
Cunningham opens a new 30-bed Residential Treatment Center and breaks ground on the Spiritual Life Center. |
| 2006 |
The Spiritual Life Center opens its doors. |
| 2007 |
The Girls Group Home returns to Cunningham’s main campus and the Transitional Living House moves into the former Girls Group Home residents. Cunningham launches "Coach's Campaign" under the leadership of Lou & Mary Henson and Kendall & Wendy Gill. The campaign aims to raise funds towards the creation of a Recreation and Special Therapies Center inside a proposed new Education Complex. |
| 2008 |
Sam Banks announces his decision to accept a position in the Chicago area after 25 years of distinguished service. Vice President for Programs Pat Ege is appointed Interim President/CEO.In September, the Board of Directors appoints Marlin Livingston as Cunningham’s new President and CEO.
|
| 2009 |
Cunningham continued to respond to the changing needs of the youth in our care, opening expanded transitional living services within an existing apartment complex in Urbana. In addition to the existing Transitional Living House, three young women and three young men can now be provided with an intermediate level of supervision and support as they prepare to make it on their own and transition to full independence. |
