Catholic Charities North expects that the $2.6 million renovation project of its Lynn Child Care Center that went on all summer, and that was completed last month, will create a more modern and child-friendly atmosphere.
“It is well-established through research that environments influence the architecture of a child’s developing brain, so having program spaces that facilitate positive experiences for children is critical,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber.
The refurbished Lynn Child Care Center on North Federal Street building held its grand re-opening earlier this week.
The renovations were funded and supported by the Rogers Family Fund in memory of former Catholic Charities North Director Gail Kirker Murray, Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) and its affiliate, Children’s Investment Fund (CIF), and the state’s Early Education and Care and Out-of-School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund, which provided a $750,000 grant, as well as Catholic Charities.
Construction Management & Builders, Inc. completed the renovation with design support from BKA Architects, Inc. and financing from Eastern Bank.
“Our children need us now more than ever to help guide them and to foster programs and environments that enrich their lives,” said Catholic Charities Boston President Deborah Kincade Rambo.
“We are blessed with the extraordinary support of the many people and organizations that see the value in the important work of Catholic Charities and the Lynn Child Care Center,” she said.
The 12-week project started in May. Renovations to the 13,000 square-foot space were focused on increasing energy efficiency and improving the building’s comfort and functionality.
Better accessibility for those with disabilities was added to the space, including a new, limited-use and limited-application elevator. The building also now contains central air conditioning.
“The facility developments that have been completed through the Early Education and Care and Out-of-School Time Capital Fund grants are helping to modernize spaces, improve the efficiency of systems and provide better environments for the children that support their optimum growth and learning,” Weber said.
The renovated facility is currently serving 100 children from the communities of Lynn, Nahant and Saugus. 95 percent of the children in the program are receiving a form of public subsidy, the release says.
The Catholic Charities Lynn Child Care Center has been providing early education, care and out-of-school time services to children for more than 50 years.
In addition to its Child Care Center, Catholic Charities North has provided emergency food, housing, fuel and utility assistance to the poor and working poor for 90 years. It also offers a variety of programs such as education and career training, GED (General Education Development) classes, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes for refugees and immigrants, and parent support programs.
Catholic Charities is one of 10 organizations that received the capital grant from the EEOST Capital Grant Fund, which is meant to improve the quality of center-based child care facilities.
“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and CEDAC for their generous support, without which this renovation would not have been possible,” Rambo said.
“There is a growing understanding of the role that well-designed and well-equipped child care facilities play in high quality care and education,” said CEDAC Executive Director Roger Herzog.
“The Lynn Child Care Center is a great example of strengthening communities,” Herzog said. “We are happy to have supported it through the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund.”