UVSO Breaks Ground for Child Development Center

Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO) broke ground on Friday for the Vailsburg Child Development Center at Palm Street. They will build a new, state-of-the art infant and toddler preschool center at 1033 South Orange Avenue.

Known as the Vailsburg Child Development Center at Palm Street, the new preschool will serve up children between 0 and 3 years of age, and offer a scarce and much-needed program in the community. The new Palm Street Center building will be the ninth property developed and managed by UVSO in the vicinity of South Orange and Sanford Avenues.

UVSO has raised nearly $1.1 million in contributions to the Palm Street Center project from JP Morgan Chase, PSE&G, TD Bank, PNC Bank, RTC Properties, Valley National Bank, and Victoria Foundation, all funders of earlier projects of the organization. Construction financing for the venture is provided by New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) and Leviticus Fund, partners on UVSO's 2003 Smith Street and 2009 Ivy Hill preschools that serve 300 local children. Many of the contributions came through the State of New Jersey Neighborhood Reinvestment Tax Credit program, an important resource for urban community development.

An important highlight of the project is UVSO's partnership with the Newark Preschool Council to become a delegate agency for Early Head Start, and to open the first Early Head Start Center in Vailsburg at the new Palm Street Center.

For more info on UVSO: www.uvso.org/