Junior League breaks ground for crisis nursery

The 9,000-square-foot facility is slated to open in April on a 1.5-acre tract at 2750 W. Bennett St. The land is owned by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and will be leased for 25 years to Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks Inc., a not-for-profit organization.

Junior League, which will staff the nursery with its volunteers, is sponsoring the initiative with partners Burrell Behavioral Health, Community Partnership of the Ozarks, CoxHealth, Missouri State University, St. John’s Health System and United Way.

The nursery will offer residential care for children up to age 12, as well as education, support and training services for families in crisis. About 20 children can be housed at a time.

Gov. Matt Blunt and First Lady Melanie Blunt were among area leaders who turned shovels at today’s event. Gov. Blunt in June signed a Senate bill that creates the Children in Crisis tax credit for up to 50 percent of donations to any organization that receives funding from the Court Appointed Special Advocates Fund, child advocacy center or crisis care center.