Excitement and pride filled the air as community members, local leaders, and volunteers gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Betty Bazar Community Center and Woodlands Head Start preschool with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, August 7th, 2025. This long-awaited milestone marks a new chapter for the neighborhood of Woodland Hills – as the center offers a wide range of services, and promises to serve as a hub for support, connection, and opportunity for those experiencing homelessness.
“You know, today is a very special day. Today, we have the ribbon cutting for the Betty Bazar Community Center and the Early Childhood Development Center… you have two entities coming together in partnership to really address a major issue. It’s one thing for somebody to receive child care who’s in a stable home. It’s another for a child who’s homeless and has tremendous trauma, and maybe they haven’t received healthy meals. They’ve not been in a stable environment, and this gives them that opportunity.” said Ken Craft, Founder and CEO of Hope the Mission. “Yes, they’ll get three meals a day here. Yes, they’re going to be going to school as they get older, but we need to reach kids while they’re in their infancy and up through kindergarten. And because of CCRC, it’s going to happen.”
Hope The Mission is pioneering homeless services in the US with this first of its kind community center with preschool and interim housing on-site. This facility comes after years of planning between CCRC and Hope, which received state funding through Project Home Key to purchase the neighboring lot formerly occupied by a Denny’s restaurant. This collaboration marks a big step in expanding services for children and families. The 4,500 square foot space is located on the same campus as Hope the Mission’s homeless shelter and provides immediate access to early care and learning services, and soon onsite child care for children and their families. It includes bright, naturally lit preschool classrooms, meeting rooms, and a screen structure that wraps around the building. The early childhood learning center will serve up to 24 children ages 18 months to 5 years.
And not only will the interim housing play a pivotal role in supporting early learning and family well-being by providing accessible education and comprehensive support services free of cost, but more importantly, it will serve as a beacon of hope – designed to uplift, empower, and foster a safe and engaged community environment. Additional key benefits of this center will include access to Heart Start Programs for children, holistic family services, and philanthropic legacy and community investment.
CCRC President and CEO, Dr. Michael Olenick, was on hand to celebrate this important milestone and spoke to those in attendance – sharing anecdotes, reflecting on the building’s past, and recalling the initial proposal for the idea of a preschool for families in the facility years ago. “We are so pleased to be a partner here and have the opportunity to provide programs, services, classrooms, and hopefully much more in the near future. This is just the beginning of a longer plan of being able to support these kids and their families. Even after the families graduate, CCRC will be able to support their child care needs through our child care subsidy programs through the children’s elementary school years.”
The ribbon cutting event was more than a celebration; rather, it was a testament to what can be achieved when community comes together with a shared vision. The facility was first unveiled in March 2025. Named after philanthropist Betty Bazar, it reflects a commitment to support, and serves as a model for integrating education and social services to address the needs of vulnerable populations.
As the doors of the center officially open, so do new possibilities of growth, support, and connection. With the backing of passionate individuals and organizations, the center is poised to make a lasting impact for years to come. The celebration may be over, but the real work – and the real change – starts now.