East Harlem Block Nursery School

te their academic, emotional, social, and physical development. Our programs are licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, certified by the New York State Department of Education, and are insured to provide childcare and education services. EHBN was founded in 1965 by a group of concerned African-American and Latino parents who struggled to find quality childcare in the neighborhood. They opened their first center (East Harlem Block Nursery) for the children of the community. They also staffed the classrooms themselves and, through a partnership with several colleges, earned their undergraduate degrees and became certified teachers. As a result of their trailblazing and historic actions, the nursery school became the first parent-controlled daycare center to receive public funding in New York. EHBN’s holistic educational philosophy extends to the entire family. Our Family Support Network program provides the following to parents and caregivers: life-skills building (parenting skills; job training), financial literacy, healthy living workshops as well as education-based programs (G.E.D. preparation; pre-degree preparation courses, and college-accredited programs leading to degrees). We collaborate with local community partners like Mount Sinai Hospital, Harlem Hospital, Operation Headstart, and the National Association of University Women to provide the services and educational opportunities offered through the Family Support Network. For nearly 50 years, EHBN has provided consistent and continuous service to the families of East Harlem. The East Harlem Block Nursery, Inc. is recognized as the community’s resource for quality early childhood education by our wide range of supporters including parents, community leaders, and collaborators.