Fulfilling a promise: Ribbon cut at new children's center in the International District

While the center isn’t officially open, the ribbon has been cut at the new Children’s Promise Center that is located in the heart of Albuquerque’s International District. Looking to serve over 200 children and their families, it will create 50 living wage jobs.

“This is our second location. Our first location is in the Northeast Heights,” Rachel Davis, co-founder and owner of Children’s Promise Centers said. “This will be opening soon and it will provide care for kids from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.”

Davis said the unique hours the center, located at 401 Alvarado Dr. SE, will be open are set up to assist families where parents may be working early morning or overnight shifts. The center will also have a community room for neighborhood events and is already planning on intergenerational programming with the nearby senior apartment complex, Encino Gardens.

The Children’s Promise Centers started as a vision Davis had in 2006. Her goal was to create a one-stop-shop for families who were seeking both child care and community resources.

“It was really a full time job for families to get the services they need,” Davis said. So she decided to use her working background in child development and early childhood administration to found and open the first Children’s Promise Center in northeast Albuquerque in 2009. Now, she hopes to offer the same child care and community resources to the families of the International District with the opening of this second center.

With 12 classrooms set up to care for children ranging in ages from 6 weeks to 12-years-old, teachers like Josh Vail and Alejandra Flores are excited for the kids to finally come through the doors.

“I’m excited to see the mix of personalities. It’s going to be fun,” Vail said. “Once you’re working with (the kids), it’s fun and as long as you keep yourself happy with the kids and engaged with them, it’s super fun and makes your day better,” Flores said.

After the ribbon cutting, guests were able to enjoy cake and refreshments and tour the classroom facilities. Explora! staff was also on hand to facilitate learning activities such as making spin drawings, completing circuits and building structures out of tin cans. Teachers for each classroom were also present to answer any questions the public might have.

Among those touring the facility was Elizabeth Groginsky, secretary of New Mexico’s Early Childhood and Education Care Department. The placement in this community reinforced the state’s commitment to providing child care to all who need it, where they need it, she said.

“To expand access in places we call ‘child care deserts’ is important when you think about a family who wants to go to work or go to school and they can’t leave their child somewhere that’s safe,” Groginsky said. “It’s critical that families are able to access child care.”

Early child care has a special place in the heart of Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers, who represents District 6, which includes the International District. Rogers’ mother works as an early childhood educator and knows first hand how much the access to child care can improve the wellbeing of not just the child, but their family.

“It’s access to quality child care and the residents of the International District deserve that for our kids and for our families,” Rogers said.

The center now awaits approval from the state’s Department of Finance before it can officially open its doors, but Davis said she was told by Groginsky that she will have someone start on it right away.

The hope is that will help fast track the opening of the center and allow Davis and her staff to start helping the families and children of the International District as soon as possible.

“There’s families that live here and they deserve quality as much as anyone else within their neighborhood,” Davis said. “And we felt it was important to be here where we could be a part of that community and help those families have a place to thrive.”

Photos: Ribbon is cut at the new Children's Promise Center in the International District