Open house held at Gainesville Empowerment Zone Family Learning Center on Wednesday
Founders and organizers of the newly created Gainesville Empowerment Zone Family Learning Center thanked their supporters during an open house event.
Center to open on Aug. 10
The open house was held Wednesday evening at the center, which is located on the campus of Metcalf Elementary School, 1250 NE 18th Ave. Scheduled to open on Aug. 10, the first day of school for public schools in Alachua County, the center will be used to help improve the literacy rate in Gainesville by teaching and providing services to youth ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and their families.
Grand opening event to be held in October
A public grand opening will be held in October, said James Lawrence, executive director of Gainesville For All (GNV4ALL), the local nonprofit that spearheaded the project.
“Look at what the Lord has done. Isn’t it marvelous?” Lawrence asked the nearly 75 people who attended the open house. “Thank you for believing in us.”
Launching of GNV4All
GNV4ALL was launched in 2016 by The Gainesville Sun. The award-winning initiative eventually spun off as an independent agency with its own non-profit charter in 2021.
The agency seeks to find long-term solutions to long-term inequities that often fall along racial lines. These disparities were highlighted in a study, “Understanding Racial Inequity in Alachua County,” which showed that Blacks and Hispanics face an alarming rate of hurdles in comparison to whites in economic well-being, family structure, health, law enforcement interaction, housing and transportation.
The study was commissioned by the “Friendship 7,” which consists of leaders from Alachua County, the city of Gainesville, University of Florida, Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, UF Health, Santa Fe College and Alachua County Public Schools.
Wednesday’s meeting was the first time the organizations met collectively since the report was issued to discuss how they have made equity a priority.
Goal of Family Learning Center
The overall goal of the Family Learning Center is to narrow the achievement gap between Black and white students of all ages. In the short term, the center aims to see that students are academically prepared to enter kindergarten.
The center, which will accommodate up to 128 kids, will open with about 87 kids enrolled in order to keep a low teacher-student ratio. It will be open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Hiring of teachers
Six teaching positions have been filled, and a total of 20-25 staff members will be needed to meet the center’s needs as the number of children and families requiring services grow, Lawrence said.
The building features a dining room, laundry room, two offices, rooms for children of different ages, storage room, laboratory and an outdoor classroom.
Center modeled after program in Orlando
The center will be somewhat modeled after a program funded by hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen that serves the disadvantaged Tangelo Park and Parramore neighborhoods in Orlando by providing those communities with a free preschool, free college or vocational school for every graduating senior and free parenting classes.
Center seeks immediate results
Making an immediate impact on the early educational readiness and success of its students will be the top priority of the center, Lawrence said.
“We want to see positive improvement in our first year of serving children and families,” he said, adding that staff and volunteers will be available at the center to help families access wrap around services that address, healthcare, housing, employment and other issues to help children and families succeed in life.
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Center director prepared for task
Angela Walker, formerly of the Rosen program in Orlando, is the director of the center.
“Everyone I have come in contact with here has made it a pleasure to be here,” Walker said.
A 1991 graduate of Pahokee High School, Walker said all of her life experiences have prepared her to be successful as the center’s director and to motivate children and parents to be their best.
“Throughout my life I have refused to be a statistic,” Walker said. “I have pushed through a lot of trauma that has led me to stand here today.”
Dignitaries attend open house
The open house was attended by current and former elected officials, community activists, local appointed officials and others.
Supporters thanked
Dr. Edward Block, professor emeritus of internal medicine at the UF College of Medicine and chair of the center’s fundraising committee, thanked all of those who have donated and supported effort to help the center become a reality.
He gave special recognition to the Alachua County School Board, along with superintendents Karen Clark, Ph.D., and Shane Andrew. The school board under the leadership of Clark donated the 8,000-square-foot facility that houses the center.
“None of this could have been possible without their generous donation of this facility,” Black said.
For employment and other information, visit Gnv4All.org.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Dozens attend open house at new family center in northeast Gainesville
