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Gateway Community Action Partnership’s Head Start program held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, May 19 for a new, $21 million Head Start center at 1433 Bacharach Boulevard, Atlantic City.
The 43,747 square foot, three-story facility includes 20 classrooms, two Head Start playgrounds, one Early Head Start playground and a multi-purpose room as well as administrative and family resource space.
Construction on the $21 million project, funded by Superstorm Sandy Relief Funds as coordinated through Head Start Region II, will begin later this year. The project is slated for December 2016 completion with approximately 300 children occupying the center in early 2017.
Plans for the new Gateway Head Start Early Education Center in Atlantic City were born in the aftermath of destruction from Superstorm Sandy. The storm severely damaged four city Head Start centers, displacing 197 children as the number of the city’s Head Start centers was reduced from five to two.
Gateway Community Action Partnership became the Early Head Start and Head Start Grantee for Atlantic and Cape May counties in the latter part of 2013 and worked closely with the Region II Office and the Office of Head Start to assess facilities, particularly in the areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The 1433 Bacharach Boulevard site was identified and envisioned as an ideal Head Start location as it is situated between AtlantiCare, a library, county and city government offices, churches, a supermarket and the county community college.
The new center will be a haven for Atlantic City’s child education, family resources and a hub of community activities.
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