The Sarah Bonwell Hudgins Foundation was chartered in 1967 as a tax-exempt, non-profit corporation. Its mission is the development and maintenance of its 38+ acre campus, with 12 buildings leased to appropriate providers who serve those with mental and/or physical disabilities. In addition to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities, the Foundations goals also include fund solicitation and the awarding of grants, as well as education and research.
One of the earliest benefactors to the Sarah Bonwell Hudgins Center was Mr. and Mrs. Chester Carlson who became interested in our work in 1963. Mr. Carlson was the inventor of a then little known process called xerogarphy...we know the product today as Xerox. The Center is named after Doris Carlson's mother, Sarah Bonwell Hudgins. Other members of Mrs. Carlson's family were also generous contributors over the years. From this beginning and with the support of other individuals and agencies, the Sarah Bonwell Hudgins Center continues to be a model facility for our non-profit programs providers.
The SBH Foundation is very excited about our current tenants at the Sarah Bonwell Hudgins Center. Since May 2003, the state headquarters for the Disabled American Veterans has been located on our campus. In July 200r Eggleston Services joined us and have expanded their services from the Southside to the SBH Center. Eggleston Services is now operating a sheltered workshop for adults with disabilities in the Rufus R. Kennedy Industrial Center. The commercial kitchen is open and provides hot lunches to program participants and the community. Another Eggleston program offers meaningful day activities and peer contact for associates who have reached retirement age. The have also fired up the kilns in the ceramics room and are making gift items and pots for their Tanners Creek greenhouse program. Items will be offered for sale at many locations within our community.
The SBH Center has three group homes on our premises which are being operated by Eggleston Services. Other facilities at the Center include the Jennifer S. Kincaid Education Building which is under renovation. The Ted Pritchard gymnasium is a full-sized gym and is used for recreation and therapeutic activities. The Picnic Pavilion and swimming pool is used for day programs is occasionally rented out to other organizations for private events.
Our newest addition is the Child Development Center. The name of this state-of-the art facility honors Mr. Richard M. Bagley, Sr., a long-time member of the House of Delegates in the Virginia General Assembly and a strong and effective advocate for people with Intellectual Disabilities and mental illness. In 1978, Delegate Bagley served as Chairman of the Commission on Mental Health and Mental Retardation, later called the Bagley Commission The Bagley tradition continues as Richard M. Bagley, Jr. is a long-time Trustee of the Foundation. Mr. Bagley joins the other 22 Trustees who are the governing body of the Foundation. Our current president is Mr. C. Derek Patterson. The current Executive Director is Mrs. Christine Felts.
On September 1st, 200r the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center took possession of the existing day care in the Bagley building. In collaboration with the City of Hampton and Hampton Public Schools, the DHCDC will be providing day care services with emphasis on school readiness for infants and children 6-weeks to 5 years old. |
