In April, we joined the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, the City of Providence, and Pennrose for a ribbon cutting celebrating a new mixed-use affordable housing development in Providence’s Fox Point neighborhood.
More than 190 years ago, Children’s Friend was founded in the India Point section of Providence. The opening of this new facility brings our mission full circle by expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care in the very community where our work began.
Bringing new early education centers to life takes a village. We are proud to grow our capacity for nurturing early care and education thanks to the generous support of many partners.
The majority of our space at Tempo was funded by a $2.3 million grant through the Rhode Island Child Care Facilities Bond program, administered by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Rhode Island, and made possible by voters in 2021. Matching funds were provided by Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Hall, Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation, Nordson Foundation, Lawson Charitable Foundation, and other supporters.
Tempo joins our King Early Learning Center as our second site located within a mixed-use development designed to pair affordable housing with child care. These partnerships allow for community solutions to the multitude of challenges families face, while helping keep care accessible for families.
In June, we opened our doors and began enrolling our first families. Thanks to the support of our community, more children now have access to the high-quality early learning experiences they need to thrive.