The Edgerley Family Horizons Center, is a unique public/private joint venture that will create a single and accessible home for social service agencies dedicated to transforming the education, health and well-being of at-risk children and families in Boston. Our vision is to create a space that inspires imagination and provides children and families a reason to believe their futures are bright. The result will be a bold space that will foster significant steps forward for families experiencing homelessness, a supportive and great place to work for the more than 100 Horizons staff, and a social services hub in the heart of Roxbury that will serve the community for years to come.

Care has been taken in the design of the Edgerley Family Horizons Center space to ensure that it is trauma-informed and geared to the needs of the children and families, providing sufficient space for state-of-the art early education and parent engagement. The new center will enable Horizons for Homeless Children to:

• Serve 30% more children and families in an environment expressly designed for their needs. Horizons currently serves 175 children and consistently carries a waitlist of over 150 children. The new center will enable us to serve 225 children, ensuring 50 more children benefit from early childhood education. In addition to light bright classrooms, the new center includes gross motor areas for active indoor play, a room for hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning activities, an art room, and a well-equipped library. And because fresh air and outdoor play should always be part of a child’s day, children will also enjoy outdoor play areas designed with the help of an occupational therapist to further enhance their development.
• Improve programming for the community and the families we serve. The new facility has space to provide more workshops for families on topics such as financial literacy, job preparation, and nutritional cooking. Also in the building will be complementary social services that make coordination and access better for families. The community room will also be a valuable destination for neighbors who wish to use a space for information sharing and connection.
• Ensure financial health and long-term stability for Horizons for Homeless Children. The new building will improve financial sustainability and allow for greater operational efficiencies, reducing our cost to serve each child by 15%. Rent expense will be replaced with an investment in a long term asset. Project supporters recognize that this valuable asset will be a vehicle to help families thrive for generations to come.

• Read our press release to find out more.