Early learning center opens in Detroit's Regent Park

Residents of Detroit’s Regent Park neighborhood have a new early learning option for their young children.

United Children and Family Head Start recently celebrated the grand opening of its Regent Park center. It's the first Birth to 5 Head Start Center for the organization, which has six Head Start facilities and three child care partnerships in total.

UCFHS has been providing Head Start services to the city's east side for more than 35 years.

"We’re thrilled to welcome families to our first Birth to 5 Head Start center," says Roxanne Campbell, United Children and Family Head Start's executive director.

"Many of our prospective and current Head Start families have two or more children. Having one facility that serves a broad age range provides a continuity of care and convenience that is a stated need of families. The center also brings much-needed Early Head Start services for infants and toddlers to the 48205 area."

As a Birth to 5 center, the Regent Park location will serve children aged six weeks to 5 years old.  The center has a capacity of 24 children in three Early Head Start classrooms and 34 children in two Head Start classrooms.

A number of organizations partnered with UCFHS to found the Regent Park center, which is located at the former Tracy McGregor Elementary School. These organizations include LifeBUILDERS, IFF, and the Kresge Foundation.

"It’s been an exciting endeavor to work with LifeBUILDERS to intentionally renovate a space for early childhood education and to be a part of the long-term plan for a community center," says Campbell.

"We hope this becomes an important gathering place and resource for the Regent Park neighborhood."

Regent Park Head Start is located at 16257 Bringard Dr. in Detroit's Regent Park neighborhood.

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MJ Galbraith is Model D's development news editor. Follow him on Twitter @mikegalbraith.