Mattapan's childcare desert is about to get a little relief with the groundbreaking of the new Brown Bear Excel Academy, paving the way for 33 tots to play, laugh, and learn. This project spearheaded by childcare provider Dawne Brown, leverages the City of Boston's SPACE Grant program to effectively open a second location. Mayor Michelle Wu and city officials gathered to ceremonially kick off the construction and to celebrate a new resource for families—a user-friendly online portal dubbed Great Starts aimed at easing the hunt for childcare citywide.
The new childcare facility and its 15-job creation is part of a concerted effort to address the critical need for affordable childcare in the area. A proud mayor Wu was quick to emphasize the importance of this initiative. According to a report by the City of Boston's official website, she stated, "We can't wait to see this space filled with children who are playing, laughing and learning. This is one of the parts of the city where we have been working so hard to make sure that there’s much needed childcare that is affordable and available to residents". With Great Starts, parents now are to hopefully more easily navigate through the maze of over 800 childcare providers listed in Boston.
The Brown Bear Excel Academy's location is strategic, situated on land leased from the MBTA and developed by Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)/Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation as part of a transit-oriented community project. The surrounding area boasts 135 affordable rental apartments, with the childcare center serving as the newest community amenity. "The SPACE Grant program represents one example of how Mayor Wu is making Boston a more vibrant, family-friendly, enjoyable place to live," Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, told the city's official website.
Dawne Brown expressed gratitude for the city's support, which will allow her to offer "well rounded education and enrichment activities with a focus on STEAM to our Mattapan neighborhood." As per the city announcement, the Great Starts portal is designed not only to simplify the search but also to enable seamless enrollment, particularly for families participating in Boston’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten program.
The Office of Early Childhood's push for accessible, high-quality early education is accompanied by investments in the city's early education workforce and resources for young children and their families. Boston is setting the bar for being a family-friendly city with aspirations of ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive, as highlighted by the Mayor's Connect, Learn, Explore initiative. The SPACE Grant program isn't just about aiding businesses like Brown Bear Excel Academy to thrive—it's about revitalizing neighborhoods, increasing foot traffic in commercial areas, and addressing economic disparities. More good news is on the horizon as the City of Boston prepares to announce the second round of SPACE Grant awardees in the upcoming weeks.
