GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford Child Development will be dedicating the Metropolitan Child Development Center on a historic African American site on Tuesday. It's all part of the nonprofit organization's mission to offer quality comprehensive programs for young children and families in Guilford County.
GCD provides services to over 6,000 children and families a year through its six programs, including Head Start/Early Head Start, Regional Child Care Resources & Referral, Catering for Kids, Nurse-Family Partnership, Learning Together Family Literacy Program, and the Family Success Center.
The Metropolitan Child Development Center will provide Head Start and Early Start services for 48 pre-kindergarten children on a historic site serving the African-American community since 1959.
Beginning in 1947, the Greensboro Negro Businessmen's League and Metropolitan Council Negro Women established the Metropolitan Day Nursey near Bennett College, as the first day care facility for African-American children. In 1959, the Metropolitan Board and African American community purchased the current site, working with the Community Chest — precursor to United Way of Greater Greensboro — and eventually becoming an educational center with Guilford Child Development.
During the celebratory ribbon-cutting, speakers will recount the progressive history of a 70-year multi-agency community partnership addressing the needs of children, resulting in a state of the art, 6-classroom, 8,000-square foot learning center. The dedication ceremony will be held on Tuesday at 10:57 a.m. on South Benbow Road at Julian Street in Greensboro.
To learn more about Guilford Child Development or Metropolitan Child Development Center, click here.