Media Advisory

November 29, 2004

Community Family Centers to Launch Building Campaign in Houston’s East End

Who: Community Family Centers

What: Announcement of the La Casa De Los Niños—Barbara Bush Early Childhood Education Center and John P. McGovern, M.D., Community Sports & Recreation Building in Houston’s East End

Where: The Houston Club, 811 Rusk Street

Date: Tuesday, December 7

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Host: Mr. and Mrs. Alfredo Brener

Photo Op: Former First Lady Barbara Bush with community leaders

Parking: Valet parking available in Houston Club Building on Rusk

Background: A campaign was initiated in 2004 to secure $4.5M for construction of an Early Childhood Education Center for 250 children ages 0-5 and a Sports and Recreation Center building with classrooms for tutoring 300 children ages 6-12. The campaign includes a $6M goal for funding services in family literacy, adult education, early childhood education, after school tutoring and year-round youth recreation and sports activities.

Founded in Houston in 1972, Community Family Centers (CFC) provides social services and education in the Hispanic East End where about 42% of families live on yearly incomes of $15,000 or less and about 25% speak little or no English. Within this area, there are only 2.3 licensed childcare facilities per 1,000 children, versus 161 per 1,000 children in Harris County. The new early childhood center, La Casa de los Niños—Barbara Bush will be part of CFC’s comprehensive delivery of services within the agency’s continuum of care. Hence, the program not only provides childcare so parents can study, but also delivers quality education for preschool children. La Casa de los Niños—Barbara Bush will be designed as a lab school for training college students majoring in early childhood education.

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