The Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
have been a part of the Riverdale Park community since 1974 when they converted
a single family home into a convent and nursery school. The nursery school is
the main source of financial support for the sisters who live in the convent
and a vital resource for the community which serves the needs of children and
families in Prince George’s County near Washington D.C. In our little town 16%
of children live below the poverty line (source: Wikipedia, 08/25/2014).
Seven years ago Sister Ada Grano had a vision to serve many
more children. The nursery school was limited by physical space requirements
required by Maryland law to only accommodate 20 children. In Easter 2015, our
school was granted permission to serve 30 children. The need was so great the
additional slots were filled immediately. In the past several years we were
forced to turn away many needy children because we were at capacity. The
renovation added an additional 500 square feet to the already existing space. A
new playground was added as well as a circular driveway for a safe drop off and
to eliminate traffic hazards. For the first time ever the facility is compliant
with the Americans with Disabilities Act and as a result can now accept
disabled and special needs students for the first time.
This renovation project was immense as it took 7 years from
its conception to complete. Securing financing was challenging and there is
still a great need for assistance. Sister Anita has been working part time at a
local hospital to help secure the financing for the building modifications.
Since the sisters take a vow of poverty, all the resources have been used for modest
living expenses of the sisters and for the children that they serve. Any and
all financial assistance is welcome as the sisters continue to work towards paying
off the debt for this expansion. Please consider a tax deductible donation
today!
Please consider a donation today in support of this vital work of the Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts.
Tax deductible donations can be sent to the following address with checks payable to:
Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts
4805 Queensbury Rd.
Riverdale, MD 20737