Joya Child & Family Development recently received a $500,000 matching grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Washington, for a New Home for Joya. The grant will help fund the building costs for Joya’s new children’s center, currently under construction in Spokane’s University District.
“We are so humbled by the support of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust,” said Colleen Fuchs, Joya’s Executive Director. “Receiving this incredible grant moves us closer to completing our dream of having a permanent home for Joya where we can serve more families of infants and toddlers who have special needs. We are excited to share this news with the community as we seek the matching funds that will help unlock this grant and ultimately bring us $1 million closer to our project goal.”
The need for a new facility for Joya is critical. For nearly 40 years, Joya has operated out of a surplus Spokane Public Schools’ building. The lease is up in 2022 and Joya has long sought a home of its own built with its mission in mind. In addition, Joya aims to serve more children and families in need. The number of children in Spokane County who qualify for birth-to-three services has increased over the past decade and currently, Joya is only able to serve about 15 percent of children eligible for their services. This facility, built by Bouten Construction Company and designed by NAC Architecture, will encourage collaborative care between parents and Joya’s team of providers while creating a sense of warmth, belonging, and care. Construction is expected to be completed by May 2022.
You can learn more about the new facility and its impact by visiting the project site. Questions about donating to the capital campaign, touring the site or taking part in the grant match can be directed to Teresa Conway, Capital Campaign Manager, teresa.conway@joya.org or 509-326-1651.
About M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, created by the will of the late Melvin J. (Jack) Murdock, provides grants to organizations in five states of the Pacific Northwest—Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The Trust’s mission is to enrich the quality of life in the Pacific Northwest by providing grants to organizations that seek to strengthen the region’s educational, social, cultural, and spiritual base in creative and sustainable ways. Grants are awarded to a wide variety of organizations, including those that serve the arts, public affairs, education, scientific research, health and medicine, human services, and people with disabilities. www.murdocktrust.org