Early Learning
The future is shining brighter for children in south west Gainesville with the development of the CHILD center. The University of Florida is collaborating with a local grassroots organization, SWAG, and O2B Kids to establish the center and provide much needed resources for early childhood learning and care.
Seven years ago, an area in southwest Gainesville, just west of I-75, was identified as rife with challenges. This cluster of neighborhoods struggled from myriad issues, including high crime, health disparities, and a lack of services for children. Desiring to make a change, residents joined with community leaders to take actions that would build on the community’s existing strengths and address its challenges. The grassroots Southwest Advocacy Group (SWAG) was organized to improve living conditions, health and educational opportunities.
Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies Director Patricia Snyder and Co-Director Maureen Conroy engaged with SWAG to support the SWAG community’s youngest residents along with Dr. Herman Knopf, a research scientist at the center. As active partners Drs. Snyder, Conroy and Knopf are sharing evidence-informed practices to maximize young children’s potential and support their families. The center will also partner on professional development opportunities for child care providers throughout Alachua County.
“We are committed to positively impacting our community, recognizing that this is an under-resourced area of our community, where access to quality early learning experiences is a need for many children and families,” says Dr. Knopf. “As a model demonstration early learning program, we want to establish this partnership as an example of implementing in the real world what we’re learning in our UF research.”
In May, Anita Zucker Center members joined families, advocates and area officials to break ground on a new CHILD (Children’s Health, Imagination, Learning and Discovery) Center that will convene this work. The CHILD Center is a collaboration between SWAG, O2B Kids and the Anita Zucker Center. The CHILD Center will provide low- or no-cost quality early care and education services to children ages 0-5, and their families.
“This partnership is important because it leverages the knowledge and expertise from key stakeholders representing the SWAG community, early care and education providers, and researchers to provide services and supports that are responsive to the needs of the community,” says Dr. Knopf.
The new CHILD Center will benefit the University of Florida by providing an opportunity for students and faculty to be more directly involved in supporting the Gainesville community, and will benefit children and families in this neighborhood by providing desperately needed services and supports.
“The CHILD Center will not only prepare young children to succeed but will provide parents with a safe and reliable place to leave their children while they go to work or attend school,” says Dorothy Thomas, co-chair of SWAG. “We believe that this innovative approach to early care and learning will not only work to break the generational cycle of poverty, but will serve as a county wide-model of how other areas can implement similar programs.”
“Having young children involved in early learning activities gives [caregivers] an opportunity to work or engage in educational activities while knowing their children are in a safe and nurturing environment,” adds Joan Canton, SWAG founding member, board vice chair and neighborhood resident. “When [caregivers] work, they can support their families, thus teaching by example that this way of life is the norm.”
The new center will be built at 820 SW 62nd Terrace in southwest Gainesville.
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