Neighborhood Centers

How we select locations for Neighborhood Centers

Neighborhood Centers are located in communities that are under-resourced with respect to early childhood programs and services, and where there is a concentration of families raising young children. During the early phases of model design we asked parents where they wanted to go, and how far they were willing to travel, to attend playgroups and access services. They said, in order of preference from most preferred to least: playgrounds, schools, libraries, churches, government offices, and health departments. They preferred to travel 10 miles or less, and many commented that they wanted activities that were close to home where they could network with other families from their neighborhoods.

How we partner with Neighborhood Centers

Organizations that either already have as part of their mission serving families raising young children in their communities or that want to begin serving families are evaluated as potential host organizations. We complete a preliminary checklist with a potential host organization to determine whether the organization has the capacity to host playgroups and other activities, and if families will be safe coming to the location. The next step is to convene host organization leadership and staff, any volunteers, and several parents who are likely to attend playgroups and create an advisory group for the Neighborhood Center. As soon as the host organization is ready, a playgroup is scheduled!

Sustainability

Every community is different, and brings different resources to the table. Each Neighborhood Center is the product of the unique capacities of the host organization, families, and their community. The sustainability model is based on helping communities discover new ways to use existing resources to create and maintain local opportunities to nurture children and strengthen families.