KEY TAKEAWAYS: Wilcox Academy’s new Central City campus will serve 150 children across 13 classrooms. The development is expected to create 30 jobs and provide after-care programs for children ages 5 to 8. Four affordable housing units will target early childhood educators facing housing aff ordability challenges. The campus combines education with family coaching, health care partnerships, take-home meals and other support services.   Wilcox Academy has opened a new Central City campus that will serve 150 children and create 30 jobs while combining early childhood education with affordable housing and family support services. The early learning center, which opened Aug. 14, includes 13 classrooms serving children from infancy through age 5. The campus also will provide after-care programs for children ages 5 to 8. The development expands Wilcox Academy’s presence in New Orleans as the early childhood education provider marks its 20th anniversary. Founder and CEO Rochelle Wilcox grew up in Central City. Beyond classroom space, the campus is designed to provide families with services intended to address some of the economic and social factors affecting children’s education. Programs include take-home meals, family coaching and partnerships providing access to health care and other resources. “Today we celebrate a dream come true and a very bright future for our early learners,” Wilcox said. “This campus is about so much more than child care. It’s about giving families the stability, resources and opportunities they need to thrive. When children have access to high-quality early education and families have the support they need, entire communities are transformed. We hope Wilcox Academy at Central City becomes a model that communities across Louisiana can learn from.” The project also includes four affordable housing units developed with Alembic Community Development through WilReachOne, Wilcox’s nonprofit organization. The four-unit development will be targeted to early childhood educators, a workforce that can face many of the same housing affordability challenges as the families served by child care providers. Plans call for the housing to have a FORTIFIED roof and energy-efficiency certification. Wilcox Academy said the project was developed through a combination of public, private and philanthropic support. State Sen. Royce Duplessis was among the public officials who worked to support funding and partnerships for the development. “The Wilcox Academy development in Central City showcases what can happen when government, community leaders and private partners work together around a shared vision,” Duplessis said. “I was proud to help champion the funding and partnerships that made this day possible. This project demonstrates that investing in children, families and housing together creates lasting benefits for an entire community.” Alembic Community Development principals Jonathan Leit and Michael Grote said the development draws on models used in other cities that place education, affordable housing and family services on a single campus. “Wilcox Academy at Central City brings to New Orleans a community development model that has been successfully implemented in other cities: integrating early childhood education, affordable housing and family resources in one campus,” Leit and Grote said. “We’re so proud to have partnered with Wilcox Academy on this effort, and we applaud Rochelle and the entire team for their vision, tenacity and deep commitment to serving children, families and the broader community.” The campus officially opened with a community second line featuring marching bands from St. Augustine High School and St. Katharine Drexel Prep, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials, community partners and supporters. The expansion comes as access to affordable child care remains an economic and workforce issue for families and employers. Wilcox Academy said its approach is intended to address several interconnected challenges by providing early education, family services and housing within the same development. Wilcox Academy is now accepting applications for the Central City early learning center. ...read more read less