For Kids in Need, the Gift of a Birthday Celebration

New Canaan Community Preschool students helped create and collect birthday party supplies for the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut (CGC), a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting children’s mental health.

Thousands of kids in our area – many of whom are struggling with the adverse effects of neglect, abuse or family crisis – receive much-needed therapy from CGC psychologists, psychiatrists and clinical social workers. But when a child’s birthday occurs in the midst of trying times for the family, it may go by with little to no fanfare at all. Thanks to generous contributions from New Canaan Community Preschool families, CGC therapists can now help kids going through a difficult situation celebrate their special day with goodie bags, gifts, birthday cards, and party decorations.

Here, Zoe Malkoun and Scarlett MacAllister show off the goody bags they’ve decorated in class to be filled with birthday surprises.

For children struggling with emotional and behavioral problems, anxiety, and depression, CGC is there to help, regardless of the family’s ability to pay for services. Within the past year, CCG has witnessed a significant increase in mental health service requests from all towns it serves: Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan.

For more information on the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, its 7 day a week crisis hotline, or how you can help make a difference in a child’s life, please visit www.childguidancect.org. You can also find us at www.facebook.com/childguidancect and www.twitter.com/cgcct.