About The Children's Resource Center

The Children's Resource Center is a non-profit child care resource and referral agency that has been in operation since 1995. We are funded by Smart Start, the Division of Child Development, and by private donations. Our agency works to assist, educate, support, and educate parents, child care providers and our community about quality child care and issues relating to children and families.

OUR MISSION

The mission of The Children’s Resource Center is to ensure that all children and their families in Catawba County have access to quality, reliable child care and developmental opportunities.

OUR GOALS

• Collaboration toward cutting-edge educational opportunities for child care staff
• To provide support and technical assistance to area child care providers
• To educate parents and business leaders about accessing quality child care
• To inform the community and local businesses about children’s issues and child care needs

OUR STAFF

Director—Monica W. Thomas

Under the direction of Monica Thomas, The Children's Resource Center strives to meet its goal of advocating for children, families, and child care providers in order to promote quality child care and quality services for families.  We work very hard to help identify and to fill in gaps in services to families.  This is done by creating new avenues and connecting with many community partners such as area agencies, organizations, families, and child care providers.  We care about our children in Catawba County! If you would like more information please email Mthomas@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6511

Lead Family Support Coordinator—Patty Ehrnsberger

As our Lead Family Support Coordinator, Patty works to ensure that quality education and information is given to parents and the general community.  She also strives to make sure that we have accurate data to give state and national authorities toward a goal of finding gaps in services to children and families in our community.  Providing quality services to providers, family and community is very important to us. If you would like more information please email pattye@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6512

Provider Support Coordinator - Virginia Pritchett

As Provider Support Coordinator, Virginia assists potential centers and homes in planning and developing plans for their new programs, as well as providing technical assistance and support to existing centers and family child care homes. Virginia provides many of the trainings that are required for the child care community such as Playground Safety Training, Get Ready-Get Set-Go Transportation Training, Infant/Toddler Foundations, Foundations-Early Learning Standards, several abuse/neglect prevention trainings, as well as training and consultation on all 4 of the Environmental Rating Scales. Virginia has been with The Children’s Resource Center for 14 years and has several years of additional experience in the child care field. She has been married for 20 years to Ken. They enjoy the many activities that keep life busy with their 2 boys, James and Jacob. If you would like more information please email Virginia@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6514

Behavior Specialist - Kristen Mamer

Kirsten Mamer is a 2009 addition to Child Care Connections and to North Carolina after spending 12 years in Florida working with children and families.  Kirsten has committed the last 15 years to a career in making a difference in the lives of children through prevention, intervention, mental health and education services to children, their parents, and service providers.

 Kirsten is a graduate of University of Michigan and completed her Masters degree in clinical psychology at the Center for Humanistic Studies, Detroit.  In her free time, Kirsten is committed to advocacy and making a difference through volunteer commitments.  Most importantly, Kirsten is honored to guide her daughters, Arwen 4 and Aylan 2, through their experience of the world.

 If you would like to contact Kirsten, please call the CRC 828-695-6565 or contact her directly at Child Care Connections in Shelby: 704-692-9652, kirsten@ccckidsbiz.org

Latino Community Specialist (Part-time) - Leonor Tobar

Leonor helps to connect The Children’s Resource Center with the Latino community in Catawba County.  She is available for parent referrals, as well as interpreting and translating information for our child care and business community.  Further, Leonor provides training for Spanish speaking child care teachers and families in our area. She also helps provide information to help our community better understand and appreciate the Latino culture.

Leonor has many years experience in the child care field including 15 years at Abernathy Child Development Center.  She also currently works as a Parents as Teachers parent educator.  Leonor is a firm believer that the best teacher a child has is his/her parents.  Therefore, we need to help to develop a parent’s potential to the maximum.  Collaboration between homes, childcare, and community is key to a child’s success. If you would like more information please email LTobar@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6515

Regional School-Age Specialist - Karen Darby

Karen Darby joined the Children’s Resource Center as the Regional School Age Specialist in September of 2004. Professional experience includes teaching a More at Four classroom for Gaston County Schools, Quality Enhancement Team Technical Assistant for the Partnership for Children of Lincoln/Gaston Counties, Director of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Child Development Center in Charlotte, adjunct instructor for Gaston College and more than 15 years of teaching and working in the field of Early Childhood Development.

Karen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Spanish from West Virginia University. She will hold a Master’s Degree in Liberal Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Spring 2010. If you have any needs or questions regarding school-age programs, please call Karen at 828-234-7169 or email: Email

Region 8 Infant Toddler Specialist - Loraine Barker-Witkowski

Region 8 would like to welcome our new Infant/Toddler Specialist. Loraine Barker-Witkowski has been in the Early Childhood field for almost 20 years. She has worked as a teacher with all ages and served as director for an on-site university center and a faith-based part-day program. She has been an Early Childhood trainer for seven years.
Loraine loves helping fellow professionals who share her love of working with young children. Knowing we help to shape their lives for the better is her passion.
If you need help in your Infant or Toddler classroom please contact Loraine at (704) 477-5101 or email her at Loraine@ccckidsbiz.org.

Family Support Specialist - Marie Corne

In October of 2006, Marie became the Inclusion Coordinator for the United Way Partners Inclusion Program, a program that is funded by the United Way and administered by the Catawba County Partnership for Children. In August of 2007 Marie joined The Children’s Resource Center where she merged her responsibilities as the Inclusion Coordinator with those of a Family Support Specialist.  In this capacity, Marie will be working with all families and child care centers within Catawba County, with a particular interest in children with special needs. If you would like more information please email MarieCorne@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6517

Family Support Coordinator - Terri Huene

In 1987 Terri was employed as the Director of Catawba Ridge Child Development Center.  The center grew from 89 children to 276 children.  During that time, she returned to school and graduated with a Human Services Degree from Gardner Webb.  She remained at Catawba Ridge for 10 years.  Terri then owned another child care center for 12 years and operated it for 4 of those years.
In 2000, Terri became an Education Specialist on the Early Childhood Support Team, and continues to provide services to center directors and staff.  During the fall of 2009, Terri joined the CRC to provide services for Family Child Care Homes and to assist the child care community in any way possible. If you would like more information please email THUENE@catawbacountync.gov or she can be reached at 828-695-6592