Glassboro Child Development Centers-Rodgers

The Glassboro Child Development Centers (GCDC) has been shaping young minds and changing the face of early childhood education for more than 30 years. Currently we provide weekly and daily childcare for infants, toddlers, preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten and School-Age Children, with an average monthly enrollment of 330 children. GCDC also operates Camp Horizon for School-Age Children and Camp Rainbow for preschoolers. GCDC has administrative offices at 31 South Main Street, a preschool at 35 South Main Street and School-Age programs at the Dorothy L. Bullock, Thomas E. Bowe and Teen Academy at Glassboro Intermediate School.

The agency’s budget currently exceeds $1,000,000 annually. There are 55 staff. GCDC operations fall under the auspices of an Executive Director, Operations Director, School-Age Site Coordinator, and Finance Director. The agency has a governing board of directors responsible for approving, reviewing and monitoring center policies, budget, staff recruitment and selection, physical environment and program activities.

GCDC opened June 23, 1969, at the First Presbyterian Church on Yale Road. It was incorporated in May, 1970. When it first opened, the non-profit agency’s pilot program reflected years of planning by local groups including the Community Action Committee and the Glassboro Ministerium, composed of area churches.

GCDC started at a time when early childhood education was a concept few people embraced. That attitude changed dramatically over the years as two-income families increased and medical information was revealed about the importance of stimulating young minds between birth and three years.

During its first decade of service, GCDC established sound funding sources for later expansion: Title I and Title XX federal funds, Migrant Funds, Social Service Block Grants, the Child Care Food Program, the Gloucester County Freeholders and the United Fund (now the United Way). The 1980s reflected an exciting time of rapid growth. GCDC in 1980 was renting space at the church for 37 preschool children with an $88,000 budget and nine staff. Between 1984 and 1989, the agency expanded to include infants and toddlers plus before and after school programs for kindergarten and school-age children. By 1988, grants and contracts were awarded to utilize funds from the newly developing federal REACH programs, and the agency opened a second preschool program at South Main and Wilmer streets, GCDC’s first independent facility. In the 1990's, GCDC furthered its commitment to its families by enhancing educational and recreational programs for children whose parents needed to work or go to school. GCDC consolidated its preschool programs at the Main Street site in 1991, completed a preschool addition, and bought an office building by its 25th anniversary in 1994.

Today, GCDC enjoys partnerships with regional and local government, the Glassboro School District, the United Way, Work First New Jersey, New Jersey Cares for Kids, The Reinvestment Fund, Child Care Food Program, NJAfter 3, the For All Kids Foundation, Valero Refining Company, Target, Dollar General, Wal-Mart Matching Funds, Glassboro Thrift Village, Delaware River & Bay Authority, EIRC, and the Food Bank of South Jersey.