Grand Street Settlement has officially put down roots in the Bronx, cutting the ribbon on the Pelham Parkway Child and Family Center on Jan. 29 at 2305 White Plains Road. The century-old nonprofit’s first Bronx site is a Head Start center that has already begun serving 67 children, with 21 teachers and support staff on board. Local leaders turned out for the opening, which also featured a guest performance by singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, giving the neighborhood debut a little star power.
“This is a historic day for Grand Street as we officially become residents of the Bronx,” Grand Street CEO Robert Cordero said, framing the move as part of a broader Head Start expansion that pairs early learning with family supports. The Pelham Parkway site is the first of five Bronx centers the group plans to open this year, with a full-family services model meant to reduce day-to-day barriers for working parents, according to Grand St. Settlement.
The new center sits on the ground floor of a 50-unit apartment building, and families from upstairs and around the block are already walking their kids in. Parent Mariely Liranzo told the Bronx Times she enrolled her 2-year-old daughter, Sarai, because the location cut her commute and made juggling caregiving a lot more manageable. To smooth the transition, the center started with short orientation sessions so children could meet teachers and get used to the space before jumping into full-time schedules, as reported by Bronx Times.
What the Pelham Parkway center offers
Inside, the site features six classrooms, each equipped with child-sized restrooms and sinks, plus a full kitchen where staff prepare on-site meals for toddlers and preschoolers. Classrooms are grouped by age, with two teachers in every room, and programming that focuses on early learning, health, and overall family well-being. The model also connects families with advocates who help them navigate services beyond child care, from benefits to support programs, according to News 12.
Bringing seats and jobs to the Bronx
Pelham Parkway is just the opening act. Grand Street says additional Bronx Child and Family Centers will roll out in Mount Eden, Mott Haven, West Farms and Crotona Park this year. Taken together with family child care partnerships, the expansion is expected to provide more than 450 child care slots and create over 100 educator positions. The nonprofit has described the push as a targeted response to the borough’s shortage of center-based early childhood options, as outlined by Grand St. Settlement.
Officials frame it as an investment
At the ribbon-cutting, elected officials and partner organizations cast the Pelham Parkway center as an investment in both working families and the local economy. Congressman Ritchie Torres welcomed Grand Street to the district and pointed to recent federal Head Start funding, calling the new site “a major investment in our children, our parents, and our future.” The event also included Friendly Heart awards for neighborhood supporters and the building’s landlord, recognizing the local backing that helped get the project over the finish line, as covered by Bronx.com.
Grand Street and local coverage report that enrollment is under way, with more Bronx locations set to promote educator job openings as they come online later this year. For background on the financing and partnerships behind the broader expansion, see the investment announcement from COMTEX/PR.
