Pernet merges with Webster Square Day Care Center

BY BILL DOYLE
CFP CORRESPONDENT

Pernet Family Health Service of Worcester offers many programs for families in need, including emergency assistance and early intervention, and now it has another one - a day care center.
On April 1, Pernet, a Medicare-certified, non-profit home health agency, merged with Webster Square Day Care Center.
Pernet, located at 237 Millbury St., was founded in 1968, a year before the day care center, which is located on the second floor of St. Mary Health Care Center at 39 Queen St.
Webster Square Day Care Center executive director Eileen Lavallee informed her center's board of directors last June that she planned to retire by the end of 2022. The center then had three options: to replace her, to close, or to merge with another organization. The board decided to merge with Pernet so Webster Square Day Care Center was dissolved as a separate non-profit organization and became one of the programs offered by Pernet. Ms. Lavallee agreed to delay her retirement until the end of this June.
"Since I announced my retirement," Ms. Lavallee said in a statement, "I felt it important to find a good match for Webster Square Day Care Center. After 43 years of service, this organization is near and dear to my heart. I could not have hoped for a better continuation for Webster Square Day Care Center than with Pernet Family Health Service. Webster Square Day Care Center will be in great hands."
Webster Square Day Care Center will continue to offer care at the facility on Queen Street five days a week, 52 weeks a year for up to 60 children, ages 2.9 to 7 years old. Additional care is offered from 18 in-home providers for children from 6 weeks old through kindergarten age. Each in-home provider cares for two to six children.
Pernet offers programs in early intervention, emergency assistance, maternal and child nursing, youth, and parent aide in partnership with the Department of Children and Families and Fathers and Family.
"We are serving a very similar clientele," Pernet associate executive director Joel Wallen said of Pernet and Webster Square Day Care Center.
Mr. Wallen said in an interview that this is the first merger for Pernet and the non-profit explored all aspects for months before determining it was financially viable. Webster Square Day Care Center's board has been dissolved, but two former members, John Shea, a partner in the Mirick O'Connell law firm, and Eve Gilmore, CEO of Edward Street child services, have joined Pernet's board.
Mr. Wallen said other than Ms. Lavallee, who planned to retire, every other staffer at Pernet and Webster Square Day Care Center will remain on the job, boosting Pernet's workforce from 25 to nearly 40. Ms. Lavallee's position will be eliminated.
Mr. Wallen said the merger will allow Pernet to offer more programs and boost Pernet's early intervention program that helps children up to 3 years old reach their developmental milestones through such means as speech and occupational therapy.
Pernet announced that Webster Square Day Care Center families will see no change in quality of care and will have greater access to Pernet's continuum of care.
Pernet offers its services at no charge to the clients and collaborates with governmental, nonprofit, and spiritual organizations each year to improve the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual health of 11,500 impoverished people, many of them infants and children. The Worcester diocese's Partners in Charity donates $25,000 each year to Pernet.
Mr. Wallen called the Partners in Charity funding "crucial to what we do," especially helping the food pantry to provide food, diapers, formula and clothing. The food pantry is open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and feeds about 800 people a month.
"So Partners in Charity, that funding goes a long way," he said, "for us to be able to continue to provide all these free services to the families."
Pernet Executive Director Sheilah Dooley said in a statement: "The merger enhances Pernet's continuum of care with families by engaging with prenatal, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, elementary school-aged, youth, parents, as well as emergency assistance for those in need."