Care Center

CONTACT:

247 Cabot St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
413-532-2900
website

Anne Teschner, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Holyoke is one of Massachusetts' poorest cities. Over half of its students drop out of high school -- three times the State average. It has the highest percentages of children in single-parent families, of teen pregnancy (from 1992-'96), and of reported child abuse.

The Care Center was established in 1989 to help mitigate these dire statistics by providing affordable housing and alternative-education for pregnant and parenting teens. Its young women earn their high school equivalency diplomas, with the support of on-site day care, parenting training, job placement, personal and career counseling, arts programming and athletics.

The Center is a three-story brick turn-of-the-century home, retaining the warmth of a domestic setting while operating as a multi-function service center. In addition to its dwelling space, it has three classrooms, a library/resource room and a licensed infant day care facility.

In 1997-98, 22 young women graduated from The Care Center, and child care was provided for 25 infants and toddlers each day -- all at a daily cost of only $50 per student. This is a charity that truly rescues people, and it needs to grow. You can help make that difference.

(1998: HUMAN SERVICES: Girls and Women: General)