Those who attended the Ribbon Cutting at Greenbriar pose for a photo The board of directors of Greenbriar Children's Center and members of the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children held a ribboncutting ceremony for Savannah's 1st Bright Space for homeless children at Jack Jones Emergency Shelter on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 on Greenbriar's campus.

The space is named Lilli's Pad in honor of Lilli Grace Register, the 18 month old daughter of Paul and LeAnn Register who was tragically killed in a driveway accident. Bright Spaces are designed to provide children in shelters and community agencies with a dedicated warm, enriching area to play and learn.

“We are ecstatic about this partnership with the Bright Horizons Foundation for Children. Lilli's Pad encompasses all of the characteristics of a safe and nurturing environment”, stated Gena P. Taylor, Executive Director of Greenbriar.

Bright Spaces enable children in shelters to discover the magic of childhood. Studies have shown that children of all ages thrive when they have a safe place in which to explore the world around them, filled with books, toys and activities that are developmentally appropriate and provide an opportunity for them to discover the magic of childhood.

Children experiencing the stress of homelessness especially need access to these kinds of child-friendly spaces in order to develop social, cognitive, gross motor and language skills, which are vital to their development and success later in life.

“We are inspired and energized by this partnership with Greenbriar to provide engaging and educational places for the children to play, learn and find security and warmth.

It is our mission to raise the bar for the quality of care and early education for young children across this country, and this partnership ensures that children in need in Savannah get an early start and opportunity to begin a never-ending journey of success in school and life,” said Pat King, Regional Manger for Bright Horizons Family Solutions.