Northwest Portland – Friendly House has announced construction is beginning at NW Savier and 26th Avenue, creating a Children’s Program Center adjacent to the Friendly House community center.
Mya Chamberlin, Executive Director of Friendly House, confirms the Children’s Program Center construction is more than 75% funded by the Friendly House Together for Good capital campaign. The campaign launched in February and quickly advanced from feasibility evaluation to $3 million committed.
Extensive renovations will transform the aging structure into an ideal location for children’s programming at Friendly House. The building will contain five classrooms, a kitchen area, and a partly covered playground courtyard. The completed Children’s Program Center will expand our preschool for ages 3 to 5 years, from 20 to 60 children per day, and will also approximately double the capacity of our afterschool program to serve up to 115 elementary school children.
“We are moving forward on the long-held dream to renovate the Brentano building and expand what we can do for neighborhood children and families,” says Friendly House Executive Director Mya Chamberlin. “Ultimately, success of the Together for Good campaign will allow Friendly House to meet community needs for decades to come.”
Friendly House aims to raise a total of $4.8 million through the Together for Good campaign. A later stage of construction will address needed improvements to the main Friendly House community center at NW 26th Avenue and Thurman. Improvements at this facility will enhance accessibility and comfort for all Friendly House program participants, with a focus on older adults and other vulnerable individuals.
“Our community is fully committed to building a bright future for Friendly House,” says Monique Eldridge, Director of Development for Friendly House. Noting the completed construction will coincide with 100 years of community programs at the same NW Portland location, Eldridge adds, “The Together for Good campaign pays forward a great legacy for NW Portland. It commits us to a second century for a treasured space where new generations will gather to learn, play, connect and care for each other.”
More information is available at fhpdx.org/together-for-good