When Karla Lopez first brought her son to Learning Spaces, he rarely wanted to leave her side. Less than seven months later, she watches him run into class eager to play with friends he recognizes by name.
Families like Karla’s are exactly why United Way of Greater Atlanta continues to expand Learning Spaces across the region. During National Family Engagement Month this November, we’re celebrating the opening of three new locations of these family engagement programs, where parents and caregivers are equipped and celebrated as their child’s first teacher.
At the grand opening of one of our newest Learning Spaces locations in Roswell, United Way of Greater Atlanta President and CEO Milton Little reflected on why family engagement programs are such a critical piece of early childhood development.
“Learning doesn’t happen simply in a classroom with a teacher It happens in the experience that a child has with a caring adult.” he said, as he prepared to cut the ribbon. “What a two-generation approach provides is the ability to help them identify a letter, identify objects, and build connections.”
Those connections build a foundation for learning, he says, and ultimately, economic mobility.
Early learning experiences matter. According to our Child Well-Being Index®, 62% of third graders are not reading proficiently. Building a foundation for literacy starts long before third grade, yet many families struggle to afford early childhood education. Learning Spaces offers free opportunities for children to build school-readiness skills alongside parent engagement, where caregivers learn ways to support learning every day.
Preschool is for parents, too
At Learning Spaces, children read books, create art, play games, and listen to stories. But children aren’t the only ones learning. Parents and caregivers participate alongside them, learning simple, research-backed ways to support their child’s development long after each session ends.
Learning Spaces are offered at no cost for families with children ages 0-5. Each location hosts weekly sessions, and now with 23 sites across Greater Atlanta to choose from, caregivers can attend multiple classes throughout the week to continue building their child’s early learning skills.
This fall, United Way of Greater Atlanta is celebrating the opening of three new locations:
- The Children’s Development Academy in Roswell (Fulton County), meeting Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at 89 Grove Way, Roswell, GA 30075
- The Nett Church in Norcross (Gwinnett County), meeting Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at 5320 Jimmy Carter Blvd Norcross, GA 30093
- Hairston Crossing Library in Stone Mountain (DeKalb County), meeting Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at 4911 Redan Road Stone Mountain, GA 30034
Karla first brought her 18-month-old son to Learning Spaces in Marietta, but is excited to join the new location in Roswell.
“With my son, he used to be very shy. He only wanted to be with me, which is normal, but he needed opportunities to play with other children,” she said. “Now he talks more, plays a lot, and when he arrives, he sees friends he already knows and wants to play with them. I truly feel it has helped him a great deal in less than seven months.”
The program made such an impact on Karla that she now helps support instruction for Spanish-speaking families at the Roswell location. Today, caregivers can participate in sessions in Spanish while learning strategies to support their children’s development at home.
» Related: Learning Spaces is growing!
I’ve seen how much it helps mothers who stay at home. Their children may not be old enough to attend school yet, or they may not have been able to find a suitable school nearby. I’ve told many of my cousins and friends to come here, not only because it’s fun for the children, but because parents also need opportunities to talk with other parents while the children play and have fun together,” said fellow Spanish-speaking mom Angie Tojil.
Family Engagement Programs: Unlocking the door to choice-filled lives
At Learning Spaces, children build foundational skills through early literacy activities, math concepts, and hands-on learning experiences designed to support healthy brain development. At the same time, caregivers learn why those activities matter and how to continue them at home.
Learning Spaces also serves as a connection point to additional support. Through partnerships with Georgia State University and the Georgia Department of Public Health, trained facilitators can help connect families to resources and services that strengthen family stability and learning and developmental support before entering school.
“While we look to this as the opening of a door, we know it’s more about opening opportunities for the families, the children, and the communities that we serve,” said Cori Dickens-Cain, Associate Vice President of Strong Learners at United Way of Greater Atlanta. “I really like to think about every child having the opportunity to choose their life, what they want it to look like, and it not be demanded or dictated to them.” And education, Cori says, helps give children the power to shape their own futures.
Every new Learning Spaces location creates opportunities for parent engagement, for families to connect, build confidence, and lay the foundation for future success together.
Any family can attend any Learning Spaces location free of charge throughout Greater Atlanta, with locations open in six different counties from Douglas to Gwinnett. You can find a full list of our locations on our website.
Children don’t learn in isolation. They learn through everyday interactions with the caring adults in their lives. Your support helps more families take an active role in their child’s earliest learning years, empowering parents and caregivers with the tools they need to help their children succeed in school and beyond. Make a gift today to help build stronger learners across Greater Atlanta.