The Thea Bowman House is sponsoring a fund-raising brunch to raise money for a much-needed elevator in the DeSales Center building at 309 Genesee St., Utica. The three-story building is not currently handicapped accessible. The event will also be an opportunity to celebrate Darby O’Brien for her many years of service to the DeSales Center and Thea Bowman House.
Jane Domingue, Executive Director of Thea Bowman House said, “The addition of an elevator would not only make the building accessible for our children, families, and staff who have handicap conditions, but by being able to utilize the third floor, we can offer the space to other non-profit organizations. We would also be in compliance with state mandates on handicapped accessibility.”
The brunch will take place on Sunday, October 1 at noon, at the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley, 623Columbia St, Utica, NY. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by sending a check to Thea Bowman House, 731 Lafayette Street, Utica, NY, 13501. Tickets can also be purchased at theabowmanhouse.org/donate. Use the drop-down menu and choose Special Events.
About the DeSales Center
St. Francis DeSales School served as a grade school, junior high, and high school from 1931 until the mid 90s. Former students fondly recall dances, basketball games, and friendly rivalries which made it a hub of activity in a bustling city.
When the school closed, the building began a new life as an incubator for non-profit organizations in need of affordable space to grow their missions thanks to creative vision of Fr. Fred Daley, Sr. Elizabeth Giarusso CSJ, and parishioners at St. Francis Church.
When the St. Francis de Sales Parish closed in 2006, the Historic Old St. John’s Church became its successor. On January 7, 2009, the DeSales Center, a holding company of Thea Bowman House, assumed ownership of the building in hopes of continuing the vibrant ministry in the same spirit of those who preceded them.
For more information on the DeSales Center, please visit desalescenter.org.
About Thea Bowman House
Since 1986, the organization has served low-income, at-risk children and families in the Utica community, providing quality care to some of the community’s most vulnerable children in the hope of breaking the cycle of poverty through a structured program of educational and social enrichment.
Their mission is to provide a safe, nurturing environment to enable culturally diverse children and families to achieve their full potential. Thea Bowman House is built on Agape: unconditional love. It runs a universal pre-k, school age childcare, the Domestic Violence Ended program, and the Kids with Promise program.
For more information on the Thea Bowman House, please visit theabowmanhouse.org.
