| Agency breaks ground for new day care facility By Ciona Rouse UMConnection Staff The Board of Child Care of the Baltimore-Washington Conference recently broke ground for a new foster care and day care center in southeast Washington, D.C.  The groundbreaking ceremonies held June 11 celebrated the future construction of the building at 308 15th St., the boards second facility in the Washington area. Representing the office of Mayor Tony Williams, Carolyn Graham, deputy mayor for children and families, applauded the United Methodist Churchs ministries through the Board of Child Care. The needs of children are tremendous, she said, adding that more than 3,300 children are in child welfare programs and 5,000 children are on waiting lists for day care in the district. Often our childrens needs went undealt with. Thank you for doing the work of God, Graham said. Work done at the building will include an extension of the foster care services offered in their current northwest facility that has about 65 children under its supervision. In addition, the new facility will be the boards first day care center in Washington, D.C. The building will be 17,000 square-feet and will have the capacity to serve 90 underprivileged children between the ages of two and five. Bishop Felton Edwin May offered the prayer and Scripture at the ground breaking ceremony, saying that the Board of Child Cares work blesses children and imitates Christs care for children. Help us to emulate what they (workers for the Board of Child Care) say and what they do, Bishop May ended his prayer. Richard D. Adams, chairman of the board of directors for the conference agency, said that the new endeavor may not be profitable, but the board does not serve to make money. We know our work here, and that is to serve the children, Adams said. The Board of Child Care operates as an outreach ministry serving children and families who require physical, emotional, behavioral and social support, according to their mission statement. Sue Pascale, director of D.C. Foster Care, said she expects the building to open in eight months. | 
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