Buffalo Promise Neighborhood in partnership with EduKids and Gerard Place are providing trauma therapy rooms in order to provide a safe, nurturing private area in our early childhood centers for children who are learning to cope with the burden of trauma. They will build each child's capacity to function safely in a classroom rather than continue the cycle of suspension, parental job loss, and remedial academics. Their mission is to impact the lives of children and help them achieve their highest potential. They will focus on proactively supporting teachers and children through these challenging moments with research-based tools, curriculum, and staff development. This safe, nurturing space filled with materials and tools to support social emotional health of their young children could have prevented four preschool expulsions in the last year and over fifty one day suspensions. By devoting a space in each Academy (2) to the social-emotional health of the children in their care, they will strive for their children to be able to express their emotions in a safe, productive manner.

Since 2016, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood has partnered with EduKids to bring quality child care to infants, toddlers, and Preschool children in the University District neighborhood. Their mission is to empower schools, students, and families because they understand that learning and opportunity are intrinsically connected. Their Two Generation programming is integrated within the early childhood program to ensure the support and success of the whole family. As they move into their third year, opening a new Children’s Academy at Gerard Place, they are proactively considering the high social-emotional needs of the children in their care. Before the age of four, over twenty-five percent of children in America experience or witness trauma and over eighty percent of these events occurred at home by the children’s own parents (HHS 2015).