Generous donors bring vision to reality in this new state-of-the-art space for supporting children and families experiencing homelessnes

Roxbury, MA – September 8, 2020Horizons for Homeless Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of young homeless children and their families, has named its soon-to-be-opened, 50,000-square-foot center in Roxbury The Edgerley Family Horizons Center. The naming is in honor of long-time, loyal supporters Sandy and Paul Edgerley. The Edgerley Center will support the health and well-being of the city’s homeless families by providing on-site early education programs as well as access to a variety of social services to help parents navigate the many complexities of homelessness.

Located within the new building at 1785 Columbus Avenue, The Edgerley Family Horizons Center is on track to open in the spring of 2021. Horizons will be able to serve 30% more children and families in a space better suited to high-quality early childhood education and programming for families working to establish stability. The Edgerley Center also enables Horizons to create a social services hub and a sense of community for families experiencing homelessness, which is a growing issue in Massachusetts. Today, one in 20 children in the state under the age of six experience homelessness.

Michael Eisenson, founder of Charlesbank Partners, and Mike Roberge, CEO of MFS Investment Management, are co-chairing the capital campaign. In addition to the Edgerley family, the new space is made possible by many generous donors to the capital campaign, many of whom have been long-term supporters of Horizons and have witnessed the impact of their programs. Horizons’ new home will include an infant playground and classrooms, The Liberty Mutual Community Room, The Mazzella Family Preschool Playground, The Shapiro Preschool Suite, The Hawk Foundation STEM Room, The Frederick W. Worcester Library, and Cabot Corporation’s Family Welcome area. Renderings of the planned space can be viewed online in this virtual tour.

The building will be an asset to the Jackson Square neighborhood and will house 400 jobs brought to Roxbury by building tenants, including the Department of Children & Families, YouthBuild and Healthcare for the Homeless, where families can access full-service family medicine and behavioral health services. A restaurant on the ground floor will bring needed dining options to the neighborhood.

“We deeply appreciate the support from the Edgerleys and many generous donors who have invested in this vision for the city and our community,” said Kate Barrand, president and CEO of Horizons for Homeless Children. “The Edgerley Family Horizons Center will be transformative for the city of Boston. It will provide many of our city’s at-risk children with the high-quality early education they deserve, alongside family services that will enable parents to lift themselves up and out of financial insecurity.”

This facility is a unique public/private joint venture between Horizons and WaterMark Development.

For information about supporting Horizons and additional naming sponsorships, please contact: Tara Spalding, Chief Development & Marketing Officer

About Horizons for Homeless Children
Horizons for Homeless Children is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of young homeless children and their families. Horizons provides high-quality early education, comprehensive family support services and opportunities for play to children living in shelter. Today, Horizons serves more than 1,500 young homeless children each week in Massachusetts through three early education centers and more than 90 shelter-based Playspaces. For more information about Horizons for Homeless Children, please visit: www.horizonschildren.org.

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Media Contact:
Ellen Miles
V2 Communications for Horizons
617-426-2222
horizons@v2comms.com