Building Stronger, Healthier Lives for Children and Their Families

Eric M. Chase | Executive Director & CEO Children’s Aid Society

BY KATIE MAHONEY | VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

“I love what I do,” shares Eric M. Chase, Executive Director & CEO of the Children’s Aid Society.

“I took this job to bring together my 30+ years of non-profit experience, and my desire to work with children, to give them a hand up to the future. I love my work. I love my job.”

After an eighteen-year professional career with the Boy Scouts of America, Eric was a few years from retirement, but felt God working on his heart to change the lives of children and their families. Six years later, his work is filling the gaps in care for children and their families in York, Adams and Franklin counties.

With the mission to empower children and their families to build stronger, healthier lives, Eric’s team measures themselves up to that goal every day, through several diverse programs. Their Crisis Nursery at the Lehman Center, one of three in the state of Pennsylvania and one of ninety in the country, offers short term respite care, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for newborn to six years of age. “We also offer child centered creative art and play therapies, parent support groups in the community and the Incredible Years Parent Education and Dina School programs” explains Eric. Parent support and educational groups are also offered to parents in York County Prison.

Those are just a few of the vital programs offered to the community by the organization in its 35-year history of serving York. Eric’s vision includes lifting up other non-profits in the community to work collaboratively for greatest impact. The partnerships with Cornerstone Youth Home, and York C.A.R.E.S for the homeless are successful examples of how the CAS has done this. “We are constantly striving to be a beacon of hope in our communities,” he adds.

Whether leading or partnering, all programs reflect the Children’s Aid Society’s values:

• Demonstrate compassion

• Cultivate Gifts

• Encourage Creativity

• Play Joyfully

• Work Together

• Act Professionally

These values will guide the next expansion for the Children’s Aid Society – a new $6 million-dollar facility is being planned in the Salem Square Neighborhood of York City. “The current Lehman Center building could become transitional housing for families, with Salem Square offering third-shift childcare from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., expanded respite and traditional childcare, community education space and meeting space, and expanded indoor and outdoor play areas for the children.” explains Chase. “To do this it will take the community to support the project and workforce recruitment will be vital, as frontline staff will be needed to keep all children safe and feel loved!”

343 Lincoln Way, New Oxford, PA 17350 | cassd.org | 717.624.4461