CEDARS 3.89

In the fall of 1947, the Cooperative Club (later renamed the Sertoma Club) brought the community together in support of a compassionate couple’s mission and formally established the CEDARS Home for Children.

That couple, the Reverend Charles and Alberta Danner had hearts for helping children, but had no children of their own. Then in 1946 they became caregivers to one homeless young boy. They knew the moment they opened their door to his tentative yet hopeful soul that this was their mission in life. Shortly after, they arranged with the local police department so that whenever there was need for safe refuge for a young child, the police could knock on the door of the Danner home.

They soon had 22 children.

The Danners had the passion to make a safe and loving home for children, but without adequate funds they worried they wouldn’t be able to continue to care properly for their family.

They turned to the community. With the help of Hulda Roper, the first female police officer in Lincoln, Marie Becker, a member of the Council of Church Women and the Cooperative club, CEDARS Home for Children was born.

Their vision for creating a place of safe refuge for children that have no other safe options endures today.