A cheerful Joyce Gordon carries a smile to her challenging, demanding job each day.

Gordon often sees the sorrow of tattered families and children, yet she brings them joy, comfort and hope.

As a teacher at Childhaven’s Auburn center, 1325 22nd St. N.E. she makes a difference in the lives of children who have suffered from or are at risk of abuse and neglect.

Gordon has been doing her job diligently for 17 years.

Deep down, Gordon’s commitment to her work extends far back to her own childhood. Raised in a supportive family of 13, she got her patience, love and understanding from the caring mother who raised her.

Gracious, dependable Mom was always there for her children, just as Gordon is there for hers.

“I’ve been put here for a reason,” said Gordon during a break between classes. She teaches behavior lessons and basic skills to 4- and 5-year-olds. “I look forward to it because I like being here for the kids. We give them structure.”

And so much more.

Since the north Auburn campus opened in 1992, Childhaven has changed the lives of families and children. The nonprofit organization, which operates therapeutic child care programs throughout King County, has been woven into the fabric of the Auburn social services community.

The Auburn branch today serves about 98 children in the South King County area.

For its many accomplishments, the Auburn branch paused this week to celebrate Childhaven’s 100th birthday.

Founded in 1909 as Seattle Day Nursery, Childhaven provides therapeutic child care and early childhood education to babies, toddlers and preschoolers who have suffered from or are at risk of abuse and neglect. It has become a local leader, statewide advocate and national model in the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect.

The Auburn branch does its part. The agency provides health screenings, balanced meals, outdoor and indoor activities, door-to-door transportation, monthly home visits and daily home monitoring. Branch staff also work with parents to help them gain the skills and confidence they need to raise happy, healthy children.

Devoted workers such as Gordon, who has been at the Auburn agency since its inception, shine in the most trying circumstances. For the 44 full-time employees who make up the Auburn branch’s staff, among them 31 therapeutic childcare workers, the task is demanding yet fulfilling.

“We focus basically on the family as a whole,” Gordon said. “The parents are welcome to come, but we make sure the kids’ needs are met.”

Working closely with children in the early stages only increases the chances of long-term success within the program, said Carmen Rodriguez, director of the Auburn branch.

Early intervention, said Rodriguez, has allowed Auburn staff members to witness more stories with happy endings than sad.

“It’s a rewarding job in the long run, especially when you have contact with the families who have had success,” Rodriguez said.

Still, some old hurts never fully heal. Such failures stress and disappoint the parties involved. Sometimes, the pain doesn’t go away for problem-prone families.

“When I first started here, the tears would roll down my cheeks,” said Arlene Hall, a longtime volunteer at the Auburn branch who provides care to babies. “I told myself, ‘I can’t do this.’ … But I just kept telling myself that I am here for the children.”

Hall has a passion to help children, and that burning desire keeps bringing her back to the Auburn center. She understands the challenges of families and children today and is working to help strengthen those ties.

“I love this program and what it is all about,” she said. “I get emotional because this program has helped me. It is in my heart. It’s right here. I hope I’m doing something good for them.”

For the staff and volunteers, the rewards come in many ways. For Allen, the reward can be as simple as a smile or a wave from a hard-to-reach child.

“One boy even uttered his first word to me,” she recalled.

It is tough job – breaking the cycle of abuse and neglect and creating a foundation for lifelong loving relationships. But Childhaven remains committed to the cause.

That pursuit is evident on the faces, and in the words and actions of its staff.

“A lot of kids don’t have a lot,” Gordon said, “but what we can provide for them, they appreciate.

“It changes them for the better,” she said. “For me, I see the changes. I see how they grow as we work with them.”

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For more information about Childhaven, call 206-624-6477 or visit www.childhaven.org.