CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Cunningham Children’s Home marked its 130th anniversary this Giving Tuesday by encouraging supporters to celebrate the milestone with a gift of $130 or more. The organization said contributions would continue to bring hope, healing, and opportunity to the children and families it served.
This year’s appeal highlighted the story of Irma Waggoner Allen, whose connection to Cunningham stretched back more than eight decades. For nearly 25 holiday seasons, Irma and her daughter Mary helped make Christmas special for youth at Cunningham, creating what staff often described as a touching meeting of past and present under the glow of holiday lights.
Irma first came to Cunningham in the 1940s, when she was 10 years old. She and several of her sisters had grown up in deep poverty, sharing a small two-room home with nine girls packed into one bed. At Cunningham, Irma slept in her first real bed, got her first toothbrush, and treasured her own drawer—where she kept the paper dolls she received as a Christmas gift.
“It’s probably the best thing that ever happened to us, coming here,” Irma once said.
Though she was scared at first, Irma recalled that Cunningham quickly became a place of comfort. She learned how to make a bed, help in the kitchen, and loved the Abraham Lincoln bedtime stories told by a caretaker. Christmas morning, she said, remained the brightest memory of all.
“They would open the doors, and we could go in after breakfast, and there was a huge tree in there with all kinds of presents,” she said.
Each girl had gifts waiting beneath the tree, but Irma most remembered the unwrapped present hanging from a branch with her name on it—often a bracelet or beads.
“When we opened our presents, we’d have to lay them out on the bed, and you could go visit the other dormitories and see what everybody got,” she said.
For roughly 20 years, Irma and Mary returned from Chicago each December with bags full of toys—Tonka trucks, Legos, skateboards, and games—along with necessities some children requested, such as white T-shirts. Irma ensured each child received more than they ever expected.
“It’s a place we called home for so long,” she said back in 2015. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Over the past five years, as traveling became harder for Irma at age 94, the two shifted to giving monetary donations while remaining deeply connected to Cunningham.
“Mom never forgets her time at Cunningham,” Mary said. “In fact, she talks about it a lot.”
Cunningham leaders said Irma’s story reflected the heart of their mission and the lasting impact community support had on the lives of children.
As the organization continued its anniversary celebration, supporters were still encouraged to honor the occasion by making a Giving Tuesday donation.
To support Cunningham’s youth and families, gifts could still be made here.