The Messenger
Valley Interfaith Child Care Center
Community Foundation Legacy Award Winner
Jeanne Roper
Jeanne Roper was a founding member of VICCC two decades ago. Throughout the years, she has remained an active participant, serving as a board member and a community advocate. Her contributions have been acknowledged by the Community Foundation of the NRV through their Early Childhood Champion Awards. Jeanne also received the inaugural Legacy Award, honoring her unwavering commitment to early childhood education. We take immense pride in her leadership and dedication over the years.
“Jeanne is the heartbeat of VICCC. She has been constant in all circumstances and encouraged us through COVID and budgeting hardships. VICCC is here and better because of Jeanne. She is an amazing person with an amazing heart. She is a very rare kind of person who is always thinking of others and acts on those thoughts.”
-The Community Foundation
The Bob Schulman Initiative
Our music and art programs are working together to celebrate American Indian Month. Each class has adopted a tribal name. Ms. Monica, our music specialist, has been teaching the children songs which are, of course, accompanied by their drums, and teaching them a simple American Indian dance. Ms. Paula, our art teacher, has been helping our little ones make tiny teepees for a diorama and colorful bead corncobs. We are honoring the indigenous people for their respect for the environment and their sense of responsibility to use and reuse everything nature provides. The ancient story of the Three Sisters, corn, beans, and squash, has been a centerpiece of the lessons and how working together can help us all be successful. We will end the month with a Pow Wow before Thanksgiving.
-Elizabeth Foster
“A child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn’t been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.”
~ Pablo Casals
It has been an incredible start to the school year for VICCC! Our hallways have been filled with laughter and learning. We've welcomed infants, watched toddlers take their first steps, and heard preschoolers master new words. And our community is stronger because every family—from all backgrounds and income levels—has access to high-quality care.
Sustaining this level of excellence requires ongoing community partnership. Running a mission-driven childcare center definitely takes creative problem-solving! The real cost of excellent infant care, dedicated teachers who deserve good wages, and safe, engaging spaces means we're always working to bridge the gap between what families can afford and what quality requires.
As you think about your end-of-year giving, please consider VICCC. We aim to raise $45,000 in the coming months to ensure all expenses are covered for the 2025-2026 school year and we go into our critical summer program strong. Together, we're proving that affordable, exceptional childcare isn't just a dream—it's a reality we're building every single day in the New River Valley. Thank you for making a difference!
To donate visit our website or contact Judy Shelor at VICCCcburg@verizon.net or 540-951-8101.
Note From The Director
As I sit here and look out my window this morning, it's hard to believe that the summer is gone. This summer we served 18 school aged children got exciting programs. Each child participated in soccer, yoga, music, and art at no cost to their families. VICCC asked you to partner with us for $100 per child to ensure that we could provide these opportunities. You came through and every child was provided for. Each summer the children return to VICCC to reunite with their friends and their teachers. We have watched them grow up and sent them off to school prepared for their journey. The schoolers will be back for the winter break and I can't wait to reunite with them again. As it turns colder today, I am warmed by the thought of our little friends coming home soon. All of this is is possible because of your giving. Thank you for your continuing support of the mission of VICCC.
