Help Us Build the New Yolo Crisis Nursery
After more than 20 years of caring for the children and families of our community from a 1,400-square-foot rental home, Yolo Crisis Nursery is building an urgently needed, larger facility.
The $9.5 million Brighter Tomorrows Campaign is a partnership with our local businesses, city and county government, and friends and supporters to raise the funds necessary for construction, equipment, and moving costs. The Brighter Tomorrows Campaign also provides the support to create new and expanded programs and services so we can take immediate advantage of our incredible new facility.
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For children. For families. For our community.

Welcome to the New Yolo Crisis Nursery
The Nursery’s new home will be a safe and secure place for children to heal, grow, and thrive. The 9,000+ square-foot facility features an innovative design, a comforting, home-like feel and includes:
- More than triple the number of beds for housing children overnight
- Designated spaces for preschool classes, training sessions, and meetings
- Private offices for parent counseling and other wraparound services
- Space for medical assessments, targeted therapy, parenting training, and expanded services
- Outside playground space, with designated separate age-appropriate areas
- Improved facilities and equipment, from an efficient, modern kitchen to critical security systems
- Administrative spaces, storage, and entry areas to provide more effective services
- Numerous benefits for clients, including access to public transportation, proximity to a nearby grocery store and pharmacy, and a community park within walking distance
Our anticipated move-in date is summer 2024.
Nursery Leadership
“Over the last 15 plus years with the Nursery, I have witnessed countless families in serious, life-threatening crises transition into thriving families that are making their community a better place.”
Heather Sleuter
Executive Director, Yolo Crisis Nursery
The Nursery Needs Room to Grow
- Executive Director’s Office
- Limited Child Capacity
- Staff Meeting
Even before the pandemic, the demand for the Nursery’s services was steadily increasing. We had outgrown our home of more than 20 years and began planning a new, larger facility. With the pandemic, the demand for our services skyrocketed, making the need for an expanded, better equipped facility even more urgent.
In FY2021 Yolo Crisis Nursery:
- Served 67% more families, straining our capacity
- Provided over 2,400 safe stays for children
- Delivered nearly 3,900 care packages to families in crisis (a 43% increase over FY2020)
Our Clients Had Nowhere Else to Turn:
- 99% came from low income, Medi-Cal eligible families
- 65% were experiencing homelessness
- 62% of the children served lived with families at risk of experiencing domestic violence

Planning For the Future
Yolo Crisis Nursery has an ideal location for building a new home. In partnership with Blue Bus LP, and with the support of the City of Davis, the Nursery will be given a one-acre parcel of land adjacent to a proposed development in South Davis.

Parent and Community Support for the Brighter Tomorrows Campaign
“We need caring and compassionate people, especially now. You are front line workers not just in this pandemic, but always, for every crisis. As a family who benefited directly from your work, we are forever grateful for and inspired by the dedication and proficiency with which you provide crucial services to our community.”
Former Yolo Crisis Nursery Parent

Thank You to our Incredible Campaign Supporters!
We are grateful to our generous and compassionate Brighter Tomorrows Campaign Leadership Donors for helping to lay the foundation for the Nursery to reach our $9.5 million goal.
Brighter Tomorrows Campaign Leadership Donors:
- Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
- Blue Bus, LP
- Yolo County
- The City of Davis
- Sutter Health
- Anonymous
- First 5 Yolo Children and Families Commission
- The Johanna Anderson Trueblood Foundation
- The George and Lena Valente Foundation
- The Kelly Foundation
- Mohini Jain
Thank you to our Board of Directors, Brighter Tomorrows’ Cabinet and Honorary Committee, and friends and supporters in the community who have donated to the campaign.


Campaign Brochure
For children. For families. For our community.
View an electronic copy of the
Brighter Tomorrows Capital Campaign
brochure for additional details.

Campaign Leadership
Campaign Cabinet
Jane Eadie
Campaign Chair
Trish Bosco
Friends of Yolo Crisis Nursery
Kim Eichorn
Lyon Real Estate
Dr. Ginger Joyce
Sutter Health (Retired)
Heidy Kellison
First 5 Yolo
Dennis Lindsay
Nugget Markets, Inc (Retired)
John Lindsey
Law Offices of John Lindsey
Dr. Samrina Marshall
Clinical Faculty, Pediatrics – UC Davis Medical Center
Bill Weisgerber
City of Davis Fire Chief (Retired)
Dr. Mohammad Yusufzai
Auburn, Carmichael & Rancho Cordova Medical Clinics
JoEllen Welsch
Yolo Crisis Nursery Immediate-Past President (Ex-officio)
Becky Heard
YCN Director of Development and Community Relations (Ex-officio)
Honorary Committee
Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
CA State Assembly
Wade Cowan
Mayor, City of Winters
Gina Daleiden
Executive Director, First 5 Yolo
Martha Guerrero
Mayor, West Sacramento
Laura Heintz
CEO, Stanford Youth Solutions + Sierra Forever Families
Betsy Marchand
Yolo County Supervisor (Retired)
LeShelle May
UC Davis
Gloria Partida
Mayor, City of Davis
Jim Provenza
Supervisor, Yolo County
Tom Stallard
Mayor, City of Woodland
Helen Thomson
CA State Assembly (Retired)
Lois Wolk
CA State Senate (Retired)
How Can I Help?
Your contribution to the to the Brighter Tomorrows Campaign helps Yolo Crisis Nursery save and transform lives. It gives us the capacity to meet the growing needs of our community’s at-risk children and families. With your compassion and support, we can create brighter tomorrows in Yolo County.
For more information about Brighter Tomorrows and how you can donate or volunteer for the campaign, contact Becky Heard at bheard@yolocrisisnursery.org.