Our Place Family Resource and Early Years Centre

Our Place Family Resource and Early Years Centre was a Canadian nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families with young children in the Kitchener area. Operating for over 40 years, it provided a welcoming environment for parents, caregivers, and children to access early learning and parenting support programs aimed at fostering optimal development for children from birth through age six[1][3][5].

Services and Programs

The Centre offered a broad range of services designed to address the developmental, educational, and health needs of young children and their families. Key programs included preschool speech and language support, vision screening, the Zero2Six program (targeting early childhood development), parenting support groups, healthy living initiatives, and community outreach efforts[1][3]. Most programs were available at no cost or for a nominal fee, serving all age groups within the Waterloo Regional Municipality[1].

Community Role and Impact

As a vital community hub, Our Place not only provided direct services but also contributed to broader regional efforts to improve child well-being through collaboration and data-informed program planning. It supported families new to Canada and facilitated access to various community resources, helping to address social determinants affecting early childhood development[3].

Closure

After more than four decades of service, Our Place Family Resource and Early Years Centre permanently closed its doors at the end of June 2022. The closure marked the end of a longstanding local institution that had been instrumental in supporting child and parent development in Kitchener[4].

Registration

The organization was registered under the Business Registration Number 119074144RR0001.

[1] https://www.ementalhealth.ca/index.php?m=record&ID=17715 [2] https://parentingnow.ca/venue/our-place-family-resource-and-early-years-centre/ [3] http://www.eceprc.ca/family--community.html [4] https://www.ctvnews.ca/kitchener/article/our-place-saved-my-life-kitchener-child-and-parent-support-program-shutting-down/ [5] https://app.wellfunded.io/landing/charities/our-place-family-resource-and-early-years-centre