El Buen Pastor

Situated in central east Austin, El Buen Pastor Early Childhood Development Center (The Center) is a community based child development center whose mission is to meet the needs of the entire family through empowerment and community participation. The Center recruits volunteers, staff, and board members who represent the community the Center serves. Through this collection of multicultural and bilingual individuals, the Center is able to provide a stimulating and safe environment for children and their families.

 

El Buen Pastor Early Childhood Development Center originated from a 1974 needs assessment conducted by United Urban Council of Churches (now Austin Metropolitan Ministries) of east Austin families. The committee for the Council found a severe lack of affordable and local childcare services for low-income residents. Responding to this need, the Center opened its doors on September 2, 1975 and began serving its first class of eight children in the fellowship hall generously supplied by El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church. The goals were simple and direct, provide a place where children could find educational, spiritual, physical, mental, and social nourishment.

 

Shortly thereafter, in 1978, parents eagerly raised the funds through car washes and tamale sales to relocate the Center into the pastor's manse, permitting expansion of childcare services. Similar efforts increased the Center's service capacity from a dozen children in 1975, 62 children in 1991 and to its current licensed capacity of 117 children. During these forty plus years, the Center has nurtured and educated hundreds of children to become healthy and productive members of society.

 

Through the assistance of Austin Community College Child Development Department, the Center's staff became certified as early childhood specialists. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited the Center in March 1992. NAEYC accredited the program again in 1995 and 2013. The Center has also earned recognition from the Texas Work Force Solutions Capital Area receiving the designation of a Four Stars Texas Rising Star Provider.

 

Today, The Center provides early childhood and school-aged children with educational and instructional activities. Nutritional meals are included in the costs, which is well below the market rates. Tuition for low-income families is approximately half the fee charged by other childcare facilities in the Austin area. Scholarships are available for families unable to afford the full tuition (upon availability of funds). The Children are presented with activities that promote participation in projects, encourage the use of their creative energies, expand important social skills, and enhance their learning capabilities.

 

Through grants and individual donations a newly constructed state-of-the-art facility has been built allowing for 117 children, including infants. This new building, equipped with child friendly sinks, bathrooms, and furniture, is designed to meet the safety and developmental needs of all our students. Broad porches are used in arts, physical play, and other educational activities, while spacious rooms allow for science, computer, math, language and other musical activities.