Philosophy
The Friendship Center will provide a healthy, safe and Christian environment which will offer opportunities to promote the growth of the whole child. Opportunities will be offered for interaction with retired men and women through special intergenerational programs.
History
The Friendship Center at Schooley’s Mountain was the very first Intergenerational Child Care Center in Northwest New Jersey. The center is a model for other child care groups pursuing the intergenerational child care concept. It was conceived in 1990 when members of the Heath Village Board of Trustees saw a promising opportunity – a chance to provide a unique learning and development experience for the children while enriching the lives of Heath Village residents at the same time.
Why not draw on the rich pool of caring adults at Heath Village who would be eager to volunteer their time to making each child seem special? With the help of a grant from the Lorna W. Reynolds Children’s Development Fund, The Friendship Center opened its doors in 1992 and was an immediate success. Before the first year of operation was complete, the Friendship Center was at full capacity and was receiving top ratings for the quality of its childcare. It had attracted participation of dozens of seniors and was on a solid financial footing. Since that time, the Friendship Center has doubled its physical size while maintaining its maximum enrollment at 60, has been the subject of an award winning video (The Friendship Center Experience) and numerous magazine and newspaper articles, and has continued to attract interested visitors from around the world looking to us as a model they can emulate in their own facilities.
Awards
- Winner in the Intergenerational photography contest sponsored by Generations United, a national coalition dedicated to Intergenerational policy, programs and issues
- Entrepreneurship Award from Hackettstown Area Chamber of Commerce
Organizations
- Center for Non-Profit New Jersey Intergenerational Network
- National Child Care Association
- Morris County Child Care Directors Association
- New Jersey Child Care Association