1. EDGEWOOD.ORG SPRING 2011
CEO LETTER
In 2011, Edgewood celebrates 160 years
of transforming lives and restoring hope.
Reaching this significant milestone is a
testament to our enduring legacy of helping
to build better lives and brighter futures
for at-risk children and families in our
community. As the new CEO of Edgewood,
I look forward to contributing to our
continued success as we embark on the
next 160 years.
An organization does not thrive for more
than a century and a half without shifting
with the times. The Edgewood Garden
Learning Center provides a perfect example
of how we continue to adapt to new
societal trends and community needs. The
expanded garden project reinforces the
current “green” movement by creating
a space for our children and families to
grow seasonal produce in a sustainable
setting. We take the green trend further
by emphasizing the therapeutic benefits of
working in the soil, the tangible rewards of
hard work and nurturing, and the lifelong
investment in healthy eating.
On the topic of healthy living, my family Mavis Martin was excited to enter her everything, 1-800-KIN-0037. This toll-
and I had the opportunity to participate fifties. She had a job she enjoyed as a free number connected Ms. Martin with
in our first Emerald Across the Bay 12K. business systems analyst and she finally the California Kinship Navigator program.
Edgewood has been the beneficiary of had her Livermore house to herself after Navigators are available 10 hours a day,
the race since its inception 28 years ago. successfully raising three daughters on her seven days a week and are all current or
Thank you to the thousands of runners, own. Her youngest daughter Tonya suffered previous kinship caregivers with a world
volunteers, and personal fundraising from severe schizophrenia. of knowledge and experience. Navigators
participants who made this year’s event a provide referral and information services
Tonya became the victim of sexual assault;
success! to callers of the warm line and assist with
an attack that left her not only traumatized,
finding services that the family requests.
Warm regards, but pregnant. Tonya had a boy she named
Jamal, but it was apparent to Ms. Martin Ms. Martin’s Navigator connected her with
that Tonya, who struggled to manage her financial aid for which she wasn’t aware she
Matt Madaus, CEO mental health, wasn’t properly caring for qualified and found a subsidized daycare
her child. One day after babysitting a visibly to enroll Jamal in. Finally surrounded by
disturbed Jamal, Ms. Martin refused to children his own age, Jamal flourished.
let Tonya take him home. Ms. Martin and He especially took to arts and crafts.
Jamal lived with the constant fear that The Martins’ Kinship Navigator also
Tonya would force her mother to return her advocated on Tonya’s behalf. With the
grandson to an unsafe home. Jamal had Navigator’s help, Tonya was able to treat her
trouble sleeping through the night because schizophrenia and reconnect with her son
of intense nightmares caused by this fear. and mother.
Also, like many kinship caregivers, Ms. Kinship Navigator is a formula that works.
Martin was isolated and didn’t know who to In the words of Ms. Martin, “with other
trust in her community. programs it always felt like there was
Then one day a social worker who attended something missing, but with Edgewood this
the same church as the Martins passed gap was filled in. Our family became whole
along a phone number that changed again.”

2. A schematic of the Edgewood Garden Learning Center by SWA’s Zachary Davis. The community garden located
at Edgewood’s San Francisco Campus will be accessible to all Edgewood families in San Francisco and San
Mateo Counties.
This year, Edgewood plans to break ground Among the most exciting developments in The construction project will culminate
on an exciting community outdoor wellness the Garden’s creation are the significant in a day of volunteerism on April 30 with
project. We will build out the Sally Gotcher partnerships that have evolved. The design Rebuilding Together San Francisco bringing
Children’s Garden and transform it into was created pro-bono by Zachary Davis together a talented team of contractors and
the Edgewood Garden Learning Center – of SWA Group. SWA is most notably experts. Edgewood is extremely fortunate to
a safe, positive, sustainable green space, recognized for the Living Roof at the have this partnership to match and leverage
where our community can come together to California Academy of Sciences. Ground will the dollars raised against the in-kind
learn about growing and preparing healthy, break this spring with Jensen Corporation donations and service hours provided for
organic food, connect with and learn and Webcor Builders providing contractor free by Rebuilding Together San Francisco.
about the natural world, and participate expertise and oversight. Small Brown
in cultural celebrations that showcase the Landscape and Gonzales Architects are
value of food across generations, all within providing project management and general
a therapeutic setting. support for landscaping and structural
elements. All of these partners are donating
The Sally Gotcher Children’s Garden,
their expertise pro-bono or at-cost.
originally established fifteen years ago,
will remain at the heart of the Edgewood
Garden Learning Center. Our goal is to
honor and preserve the integrity of the
current garden while providing many more
experiences that link to the classroom with
a focus on nutrition, health, and exercise,
as well as integrating with the more formal
arts, science, literacy, and math curriculum.
The garden will provide a safe and beautiful
environment free from the violence and
instability many of children, youth, and
families experience in their neighborhoods.
Every program that Edgewood offers
regardless of location and focus will have
access to the Edgewood Garden Learning
Center. From the children who live on the
San Francisco campus, to those attending
the Non-Public School, to the youth and
caregivers in our San Francisco and San
Mateo County kinship programs, everyone is
invited to use the Garden.

3. Forum on Family:
Family Resilience
On Friday, March 11, 2011 Edgewood
hosted Forum on Family: Family Resilience.
This full-day conference featured keynote
speaker William Madsen, Ph.D. Break-out
sessions examined the resilience of families
confronted with domestic violence, learning
disabilities, chronic illness, advocating for
children in the school environment, creating
a map to guide conversations for families
in crisis, and LGBTQ family dynamics. The
day was a powerful learning collaborative
for service providers, educators, health
professionals, policy makers, parents, and
caregivers.
Matt Madaus, CEO with keynote speaker
William Madsen
Haiti in the Classroom