Family center breaks ground in Tacoma

Ground was broken Saturday on a new 32,000-square-foot childcare and human services center for the Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center in Tacoma. The new building will be called the Cora Whitley Family Center and is under construction at 2101 S. 23rd St. in the Hilltop neighborhood. The Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center currently operates a location at 2316 S. State St. where it provides childcare for about 250 children, alongside a host of other human services. The new building will create at least 242 more childcare spots. It will have 19 classrooms and space for 300 children. There will also be a gymnasium. BCRA is the architect. Korsmo Construction is the general contractor. The Cora Whitley Family Center is expected to open in January 2026.

With childcare moving to the new building, the current Family Hope Center will have more space for the nonprofit’s other services. These include parenting services like classes, a diaper bank, and a free Sunday grocery store, as well as intervention and outreach services ranging from peer therapeutic drug court services, homeless street outreach, mental health services, veteran services, and substance support programs. The Tacoma News Tribune reports that the new building costs $20.9 million. Funding sources include $3 million secured by Sen. Maria Cantwell as part of the FY 2024 congressionally directed spending process. The project team also includes structural engineer Swenson Say Faget. The Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center was founded in 2006. The nonprofit’s mission is to provide culturally relevant support services to children and families.