In 2015, an extensive analysis of Detroit’s early childhood education system found that only 21,000 licensed childcare slots were available to serve nearly 44,000 Detroit children aged birth to five, leaving a gap of 23,000 licensed child care slots.

“The MEEC will create extraordinary opportunities for Detroit families. A child’s early years lay the foundation for their future. Investing in early childhood education creates the groundwork towards success in school, positively uplifting the community while promoting social justice and equitable opportunities.”

Mark McDaniel, Cinnaire President & CEO

To help address this urgent need, the Marygrove Early Education Center (MEEC) opened in September 2021, serving 144 children ages birth to five. Located at the Marygrove Conservancy Campus in Northwest Detroit, the MEEC, established and operated by Starfish Family Services, is part of the Marygrove P-20 education model, teaching students from preschool through graduate school.

The MEEC, funded with a $7 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investment through Cinnaire, will fill roughly 40% of the need for low-income early childhood education within a 1-mile radius of Marygrove. This 28,000 square foot facility is designed to be welcoming, peaceful, and playful, as well as mindful, holistic, and healthy. It offers 12 spacious classrooms where the curriculum focuses on equity, social studies, and STEM. Social, behavioral, and health therapies, and family support services are also offered. The space is centered around three interior courtyards, flooding rooms in sunlight, and a grove of oak trees provides children a natural playscape in which to explore.

Cinnaire partnered with Starfish Family Services, The Kresge Foundation, IFF, Capital Impact Partners, Northern Trust, and MBS Urban Initiatives to fund the $22 million center, the first NMTC project in Detroit focused on early childhood development and education.

Marygrove Campus’s P-20 cradle-to-career model is comprised of educational opportunities from prenatal to post-secondary graduate, as well as wrap-around services and community engagement programs. It offers new life to the property, formerly a women’s college, that closed in 2019. The revitalized campus is an anchor for the redevelopment of the surrounding Livernois-McNichols neighborhood, ensuring residents access to high-quality education and holistic support services, empowering students and families to redefine their futures.

Impact of NMTC Investment

• The poverty rate in Livernois McNichols District is 37%. The MEEC is a key component of a “cradle-to-career” campus envisioned to enable all residents in the surrounding community to thrive.
• The center provides affordable childcare, education, healthcare, and supportive services for families in crisis.
• Staffing the school’s classrooms and service programs allowed for the creation of 35 permanent FTE jobs.
• Repurposing Marygrove College aids in the revitalization of the neighborhood.