OUR HISTORY

The Booker T. Washington Child Development Center first opened it’s doors for 60 children May 22, 1967 in the basement of the First Institutional Baptist Church, at 1144 East Jefferson Street located in Phoenix, Arizona. The project was funded by the Health, Education and Welfare Department (HEW) and monitored by Leadership and Education for the Advancement of Phoenix (LEAP), with the Phoenix Urban League as delegate agency. The project employed many persons who lived in the neighborhood. The participating children in the program were three to five years of age and from families with annual incomes below $3000. The center hours were from 7AM until 6PM., five days a week for the convenience of the working parents.

During December 1967 the Neighborhood Council arranged for the purchase of the portable building to be moved in the area. The total cost of the building was $10,910 which included the moving, installing and modifications necessary to meet city and state specifications. The council held many fund raising activities to pay for the building. March 24, 1968 the Unitarian Church of Phoenix agreed to assist the council in purchasing the building. The City of Phoenix provided two lots at 1522 and 1526 East Adams Street for the portable building. It was moved to these two lots, installed on a foundation, landscaped, and opened for operation during August 1968. The center was incorporated in May 1968 and became it’s own delegate agency. In the latter part of the 1970’s the mortgagee on the building was paid off.

In June 2002, these buildings were demolished to be replaced with 4 new innovative classrooms and 1 state of the art kitchen. Construction scheduled to be completed by December 2002