Whaley Children’s Center Celebrates 100 Years in Flint

Whaley Children’s Center is celebrating 100 years of helping vulnerable kids in Flint and Genesee County find safety, stability and hope.

100 Years Later, The Whaley Tradition Continues in Flint

Founded in 1926 by Robert and Mary Whaley, the organization began caring for children who had lost parents or whose families couldn't care for them. Today, Whaley is a Behavioral Health Stabilization Program providing housing, therapy, educational support, life-skills training and independent living opportunities for young people who have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma.

And the kids coming through Whaley's doors are increasingly teenagers according to My City Magazine. That has meant expanding clinical and residential services while strengthening programs that help older teens prepare for adulthood, from budgeting and job preparation to education and healthy relationships. Journey Home and Hope House are operating at capacity, with plans to open two more homes within the next year. But Whaley's story is also a Flint story.

Flint's Century-Old Mission With The Community Backing It Up

For a century, local businesses, churches, foundations, volunteers and donors have stepped up to help. Events including the Tux and Tennies Gala, Golf Classic and the Cars 108 Roof Sit have become important ways the community supports local kids. Whaley also plans to bring back its 'World’s Greatest Office Party' in December 2027 after a pandemic-related hiatus.

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Through economic challenges, staffing shortages, the Flint Water Crisis and COVID-19, Whaley has continued adapting while keeping its focus on the kids. And the best measure of that work isn't a statistic. It's what happens next. Former residents have gone on to college, military service, careers, families and lives of their own.

Flint's Whaley Tradition Continues To Look Forward

After 100 years, Whaley is celebrating its history while looking toward the next century. Because sometimes, giving a child safety, support and someone who believes in them can change everything. And in Flint, that promise has now been kept for a century.

Tune in for the Cars 108 Roof Sit to benefit Whaley Children's Center this Wednesday, August 26 through Friday, August 28 as we broadcast from the roof of McDonald's on Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc to raise money for the cause.