New 55,000 square-foot center holds Baltimore's largest Head Start program
Catholic Charities of Baltimore opened a new center, which they said houses the largest Head Start site in the city.
Earlier this week, the organization opened the Carolyn E. Fugett Intergenerational Center on Poplar Grove Street in West Baltimore.
It's a 55,000 square-foot facility designed to bring resources to all of its neighbors, starting with its Head Start program.
Early Head Start is set to begin on Thursday, caring for infants and toddlers. The center will have two infant classrooms and two toddler classrooms. It's the first site to offer Early Head Start.
"We are currently full, right now, with 28 infants and toddlers," said Catholic Charities of Baltimore Head Start and Early Head Start Program Director Erica Knox. "Our Head Start program we service four classrooms currently. Our fifth classroom will be opening in the fall."
Fugett Center programs
"Our families deserve this," Knox said. "They deserve our support."
The mission of the center goes beyond serving young children.
"To continue to walk with families as they age into college, career, and older adulthood," center director Kevin Creamer said. "Partnerships with groups like Requity and PeacePlayers to provide after-school, both leadership development and workforce programming. That then grows into job training and programming for older adults."
"It goes from us giving them a piece of paper and saying, 'Here are some resources,'" Knox said. "Now we can say, 'We have those resources in the building. Let me show you where they are.'"
Creamer said an outdoor covered basketball court will be complete in May and the center will roll out its community programs throughout the month.
Center concept
Creamer said the idea of this facility dates back about 10 years.
Creamer said Catholic Charities of Baltimore acquired the old Alexander Hamilton Elementary School in 2021.
"True construction has taken about 3 and a half to four years," Creamer said.
Creamer said it took collaboration with Baltimore neighbors to understand what they wanted in a new facility.
