Some daycare providers go the extra mile. Judy Hoffmann goes the extra light year. Over the past 25 years, Hoffmann has cared for hundreds of kids in her Aurora, Ont., home - and beyond. She takes them to her cottage ("one March break we had nine adults and 21 kids"), to horse-riding camp, and has even organized a Disney World vacation, quietly picking up the tab for those who could not. For the record, Hoffmann is no millionaire. "She's just incredibly generous," says Jackie Ross, whose kids have been with Judy for six years. "Anything she can do to benefit a child, she will do." While "Judy's kids" come from all circumstances, she's gained a reputation for taking those whom other daycares wouldn't accept - whether it's a toddler with a colostomy bag, a little girl with Down syndrome or the child of a single parent who couldn't afford to pay. As a paediatric nurse - that's her weekend job - Hoffmann is well equipped to look after their medical needs, but it's far more than that. She has a gift for spotting good kids in difficult situations, and she'll do whatever she can to help them thrive. After a day in Hoffmann's care, kids go home tired, grass-stained, maybe wet, and always asking for more. "There are too many home daycares that park the kids in front of the television," she says, remembering one grandmother who picked up a toddler and expressed concern because he'd gotten dirty in the sandbox. "I said to her, the day your child comes home clean is the day you have to worry about him." Her commitment to families extends to the larger community too. Two days a week, Hoffmann runs a free drop-in centre at a local church, where 40 to 50 kids have access to toys, crafts, bikes and a hot lunch. She also coordinates food drives for low-income families, and her home is an informal drop-off centre for used kids' stuff. Hoffmann's seven-days-a-week job doesn't appear to be taking a toll - at least she has no plans to scale back. "I'm on the Freedom 98 plan," she jokes. "I'll probably be doing this forever." Chosen charity: The Kate Hoffmann Memorial Camper Scholarship Fund at Rocky Ridge Ranch |
