ESOL Family Literacy Program

Program Overview

The Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation's (WHEDco) Early Childhood Discovery Center (ECDC) provides the highest-caliber early childhood development programming to 103 three- and four-year-old children in the Bronx, NY, one of the highest-need areas of the country. Since 1998, WHEDco's ECDC has engaged thousands of young children and their families in core areas of early learning, health, and family well-being. Each year, WHEDco builds children's social, emotional, and cognitive skills, supports parents to fulfill employment and education opportunities with the security that their children are safe and stimulated, connects children and families to a robust array of social services, generates strong feelings of community among participants of differing backgrounds, and prepares children to excel academically in kindergarten and beyond. WHEDco supplements its ECDC programming with a ESOL Family Literacy Program geared toward the immigrant parents of current and previously enrolled three- and four-year-old children. The Family Literacy Program aims to assist parents in supporting their children's early literacy development by building a bridge between the home and school with an emphasis on parent involvement in children's education and language development among children and parents. The whole-family and home-to-school connections WHEDco fosters are essential to helping children gain a strong start to their life-long achievement of education, health, employment, and well-being. As a multi-service agency with an enduring presence and strong relationship with the community, WHEDco further supports families facing financial, housing, food, childcare, mental health, legal, and other needs.

At this time, we are only accepting parents and families enrolled, or previously enrolled in our ECDC.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

My name is Estrellita Ramirez, I'm 30 years old and a mother of three beautiful girls ages 13, 7, and 2 years old. I arrived in The United States a little over 12 years ago. Through the years many things happened, both good and bad, and like too many migrants. I did not know how to speak English, this was the biggest barrier I had for many years, and over time my dreams and hopes started to become out of reach. After a while something positive happened during the most difficult years humanity was going through (COVID-19), I enrolled in the family literacy program in 2020 with Mr. Ernie and Ms. Lisa as my teachers. They gave me hope and the little light inside of my head started to light up again. They gave me so much confidence and taught me and all the other students with so much patience and respect, they gave me so much encouragement. I remember how on the first day Mr. Ernie asked the class, "What goals do we want to achieve through this program?" My answer was that I wanted to get my GED, at that moment getting this diploma was my biggest goal, but thinking about the difficulties I was having learning the language, it was like a very distant dream. Mr. Ernie and Ms. Lisa made sure that we did not give up on our goals. They kept pushing me to participate in class no matter how I mispronounced or misspelled some words. They always helped the class and took the time to make sure we tried.

Thanks to the confidence I gained from the program I started to see many doors open with amazing opportunities. I started participating in the DAPC at Whedco where I was able to practice English, by helping to translate some information shared in the meetings or workshops. After 2 years I decided to apply for my GED with so much fear because even though I did learn little more than the basics in class, I was jumping into something 100% unknown to me and that was very scary, but I remembered what Mr. Ernie told me one day, "if you don't try, you will never know what you capable to achieve in life." After six months of my GED classes, I was able to take the GED test. Unfortunately, I failed math on the first try by 2 points, but two months later I was able to retake the test and I passed, I got my GED, and the dream that was looking so far away is now in my hands. This diploma allowed me an amazing opportunity to join The Family Literacy Program, where I translate for the teacher and assist in childcare for those parents who, like me want to have better opportunities in this country to better the future of their families. The journey has not been easy, and I'm not done, there is a lot I still must learn.

I'm proud to tell you that for the fall of 2023 semester, I have enrolled in Bilingual Early Childhood Education at The Bronx Community College. I'm very excited to start this new chapter in my life. I truly believe that this would not be possible without the help I receive from so many people who believe in me and help me to find the right path to succeed in life, the support from my family, and my three little ones who are my biggest motor in life.