Dallas-centered nonprofit, ChildCareGroup, recently celebrated its 120th anniversary since its founding in 1901. ChildCareGroup (CCG) provides services for lower-income families to help care for the youth.
CCG set up its first community benefit center in the early 20th century. Called a settlement house, it was the first of its kind in Texas. The settlement house was run by women to helped children and families with school materials. On the first floor, children were kept and looked after as their parents went to work in the cotton mills or other labor jobs. On the house’s second floor, teachers trained and gained experience for their future educational careers. ChildrensCareGroup has also been employing a mostly female staff since its creation, and give childcare opportunities to women across the Dallas area.
Leaders of CCG say many parallels can be drawn from their history and present-day actions. In 1918, the Spanish Flu ravaged communities in Dallas, and the ChildCareGroup took in children whose parents were fighting the virus. Today, the CCG gives back to the community through COVID support and delegating resources to the hardest-hit places.
ChildCareGroup has kept a similar plan for community improvement since its creation. Their two-generational care program supports both parents and their children in need. Ex-CEO Madeline Mandell said, “this was seen by visionary people 120 years ago, and then still now, I think that speaks a lot for the quality and the need of the organization.”
Youth centers such as CCG have added focus to the early development of children and teens and how that can affect later life. Students who attended CCG performed “noticeably better” than their peers who did not get access to the same assistance. CCG continues to push for the installment of centers across America to provide a safe space for the nation’s youth to learn.
If you are interested in more information on ChildCareGroup, you can visit their website: https://childcaregroup.org/