History of Jackson Child Care Center
The Jackson Child Care Center was formed in August of 1968 to serve Jackson Children. It was then called the Inner-city Child Care Association. A group of women called the Inner-city Child Care Auxiliary was formed by a small group of women recognizing the need for childcare in the downtown area. The center started in the First Methodist Church on Michigan Ave. Carol Bowen instigated getting the child care center going. She recognized the tremendous need for a day-care center. She saw mothers struggling with part-time jobs, schoolwork and childcare.
In 1966, she approached the Missions and Christian Social Concerns Committee at First United Methodist Church. It took a couple of years of discussion and the leadership of the late Walter Holdeman to get the center up and running.
The day care accepted its first preschool children in January 1969 with 20 children; this figure doubled in 1970. It was opened Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Its name, the Inner City Child Care Center, was changed in 1972 to the Jackson Child Care Center.
The school swiftly outgrew the space in the First United Methodist Church and in February of 1971, classes were added at South Side Baptist Church and in 1972, at the First Congregational Church. To minimize duplication and maximize efficiency the center was moved to one location. The First Baptist Church, 201 S. Jackson, came to the rescue and offered space April 1, 1977.
Volunteers from several churches worked at the day care. There were only 4 paid positions in the beginning. In 1972 a kindergarten program was added. A group of women involved early on continue as the center's auxiliary. Two cooks, Marie Guinn and Irma Trice, have been feeding kids for more than 25 years (now retired) and teacher, Shirley Johnson, has been here since 1981. Two other teaching staff have been here since 1987.
We serve a good cross-section of children from different economic backgrounds. Working mothers have piece of mind through the Jackson Child Care Center as they provide a safe, healthy, quality, educational program that develops children's cognitive, physical, social, emotional, & language development.
Shirley Bailey, Director from 1969 to 1972. Savitri Damodaran, Director from 1972 to January 15, 1999. She was here when the Day Care was in three separate churches, First United Methodist Church, First Congregational Church and First Baptist Church. She was the person responsible for moving to one site. Mrs. Dee retired in January of 1999 when Elizabeth (Liz) Colegrove became Director.
The National Association of the Education of Young Children accredited the Jackson Child Care Center in January of 2001. It is the first and only center accredited at this time. Other centers are now looking at accreditation. (2-2001)
Mission
To provide safe, nurturing, and affordable child care with exceptional educational programs promoting healthy emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development encouraging in each child a sense of independence, responsibility, and respect for self and others.
