TrainingGrounds’ will open a second We PLAY Center at East New Orleans Regional Library (5641 Read Blvd.) on December 13, 2023, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled on December 8 at 10am.
The We PLAY Center is a free, safe neighborhood learning space focused on play. It supports parents and caregivers in creating nurturing bonds and fostering healthy brain development, language, and social and emotional skills while playing with their infants and toddlers. Very few places in New Orleans East provide free learning opportunities for children from birth to age three, and the We PLAY Center aims to fill that void.
This expansion represents a significant milestone in TrainingGrounds’ ongoing commitment to New Orleans. With two We PLAY Center locations, TrainingGrounds is expanding its village to ensure more parents with infants or toddlers receive support, information and knowledge during the first five years of their parenting journey so their children can thrive.
“We are thrilled to partner with the New Orleans Public Library to locate a We PLAY Center inside the East New Orleans Regional Library,” Melanie Richardson, co-founder and executive director at TrainingGrounds said.
“This expansion reflects our vision for communities where sustainable, effective, child-centered early learning experiences engage parents, families, and caregivers with young children in ways that lead to healthy social development and educational success from birth to adulthood. We look forward to working closely with our supporters and the local community to ensure a village of care exists that nurtures both caregivers and children so our community can prosper.”
Christine McCourtney, head of early childhood literacy for the New Orleans Public Library agrees that this partnership is a natural one.
“We could not be happier partnering with Training Grounds to open their We Play Center at our East New Orleans Regional Library. Their mission aligns perfectly with our strategic goals to strengthen early childhood literacy. We cannot wait to see how positively this partnership impacts our city’s children,” McCourntey said.
“The Library believes in helping parents and caregivers raise readers together. We are committed to providing support from the very beginning of children’s early learning to years beyond. When partnering with organizations that are focused on early childhood learning, we are able to increase access to quality programs, services, and resources that support the early literacy practices and the development of pre-reading skills. We understand the importance of play and providing engaging and educational environments for parents and children to learn together,” McCourtney said.
More than 3,000 children and their caregivers from every zip code in New Orleans and surrounding parishes have participated in We PLAY programming since TrainingGrounds opened its doors at Corpus Christi-Epiphany Catholic Church in the 7th Ward in 2017. With the second We PLAY Center, capacity will double to offer Play and Learn sessions.
Like the We PLAY Center in Treme, the Library location will be equipped with developmentally appropriate toys and play stations staffed by a team of dedicated and skilled parenting educators passionate about supporting parents with young children. We PLAY families also have access to free in-person and virtual programs and connections to community resources.
The opening of the second We PLAY Center location was made possible through the generous support of donors, volunteers, and partners. TrainingGrounds would like to acknowledge GNOF Impact 100, Baptist Community Ministries, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Metropolitan Human Service District and the Louis Calder Foundation and extend its gratitude to all who have played a role in making this expansion a reality.
To learn more about TrainingGrounds and its mission, please visit mytraininggrounds.org. For inquiries, please contact weplay@mytraininggrounds.org.
The Library and TrainingGrounds will host two events at East New Orleans Regional Library ahead of WePLAY’s Dec. 13 opening. The first is an infant massage on Friday, Dec. 1 at 11 a.m. and the second is a family dance party on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
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