Seymour-Oxford Nursery and Child Care Association, Inc. (SONCCA) Fund

The Seymour-Oxford Nursery Child Care Association (SONCCA) was organized in 1985 to meet the ever-increasing needs of Seymour and Oxford families by providing high quality, affordable before and after school programs for school-aged children while their parents either worked or participated in training programs. SONCCA's licensed centers are located in the following schools: Bungay School, Chatfield /LoPresti School, and Seymour Middle School in Seymour and Quaker Farms School in Oxford. SONCCA is supported by grant funds, parent fees and private contributions.

SONCCA has continued to expand throughout the years and many families remain connected even as children age out of the organization's program. Former students, now young adults, come back to work at SONCCA as volunteers and interns. Some parents have contributed their time and talents through service on the Board of Directors. These bonds of friendship, community, and support result from member families' satisfaction with SONCCA's staff and programming.

In an effort to ensure the organization's sustainability, the SONCCA Board developed a reserve fund and began to explore several investment options, which included savings accounts, CDs, mutual funds as well as the Valley Community Foundation.

"We were very interested in working with an organization that understood what we were trying to achieve and was centered here in the Valley," said Executive Director, Arlene Swatson. "We have watched VCF's development over the past several years and felt that the investment strategy closely resembled our goals. After careful consideration, our Board came to the conclusion that VCF would be the best partner for us."

VCF's funds are invested with its partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, which has more than $500 million in charitable assets and operates a very diversified long term approach to fund management. The assets are managed with a "total return approach" to generate enough current distributable revenue to respond to charitable needs, while providing for long term growth.

SONCCA Board Chair, Bob Greenfield said, "Having a stable funding source allows our staff to continue to do new and exciting things with our students. It's a win-win for all involved."