Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | Book of Lists 2021 | wbjournal.com A D V E R T I S E M E N T E stablished in 1913, the Guild began as a shelter for unwed mothers, homeless mothers and children, and working mothers who needed child care. In the over 100 years of operation the Guild has withstood many challenges starting with World War I and moving throughout history. Ironically, the pandemic that we are in right now is not the first one the Guild has faced. In 1918, the world was intro- duced to the Spanish Flu. This flu was an unusual virus that attacked young healthy people, many of whom were parents. Worldwide, the Flu killed as many as 50 million people. In response to this, the Guild adapted its child care mission and began operating an orphanage. Over the next few years, the Guild cared for over 50 afflicted children. Fast forward over 100 years to March 13, 2020, the day that the leaders in Massachusetts began to realize that this new Corona Virus, Covid-19, was a force to be reckoned with. The Guild closed their doors for two weeks, in the hope that we could open again soon. Although our regular operations didn't open until three months later, we once again responded to the needs of the people in Worcester County, and answered a call for help from the United Way of Central Massachusetts, the City of Worcester and UMass Medical Center. The need was there, just as it was in 1918: essential workers had to go to work and they needed a place to bring their children to keep them safe. Within hours of closing our regular operation, the Guild received numerous calls from our teachers who wanted to help. These teachers, together with a few other child care agencies, worked together to create a safe, nurturing environ- ment for these children. With the leadership of Tim Garvin from the United Way, the administration at UMass Medical Center and the financial support of many very generous donors and the Family foundations, the Guild and our part- ners were able to serve all of the children who needed care while the state was shut down. It was a difficult task amid PPE shortages, a virus we knew very little about, and children who did not understand the sit- uation they have been forced into. Our staff persevered and provided exceptional care throughout the pandemic. With the example of our Emergency Child Care to lead the way, we reopened all of our child care centers on June 29, 2020 and expanded our school age program to allow children to have a safe and supportive place from which to participate in remote learning. As the pandemic begins to fade we hope to re-focus our mission on our core values. As one of the largest child care agencies in Massachusetts serving children from 6 weeks to 12 years, we have grown our capacity to serve approximately 1750 children. We offer working parents full-day, year-round child care in fully licensed, nationally accredited settings, and provide at-risk children the safety they need to grow and flourish. Here's to the next 100 years! n For most people and agencies, the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented time in our history; Not so for the Guild of St. Agnes. Street Address: 19 Harvard Street Worcester, MA 01609 Various Locations throughout Worcester County including Charlton, Devens, Fitchburg, Gardner & Webster. Phone Number: 888-798-4567 Website: www.guildofstagnes.org Product or Service Description: Financial Services Number of Employees: 350 Head of Company and Title: Edward P. Madaus, LICSW Executive Director Year Founded: 1913 GUILD OF ST. AGNES P H O T O / E D W A R D J U D I C E

• Cover