We cannot just tolerate the loss of early childhood education. In addition to providing food assistance through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, Rosemount provides free school meals (breakfast, lunch, and snacks) are provided. Closing Rosemount means more children will go hungry.
Unfortunately, this situation is being framed as an unfortunate but inevitable problem for landlords and tenants who are unable to maintain generous lease agreements. This is not the case. Rosemount was founded by the building’s owner, a nonprofit organization called House of Mercy, as the only means to fulfill its mission of providing accessible child care and early childhood education.
Washington, D.C., already faces a severe shortage of preschool and child care facilities, especially those that are bilingual or publicly subsidized. Residents, businesses and city leaders stand ready to rally support to address these financial issues if House of Mercy is put back on the agenda.
One thing is clear: our community cannot afford to lose Rosemount.
Rosemount Center in Mount Pleasant, one of Washington, D.C.’s best and most diverse child care facilities, will close after 50 years of service. Unfortunately, the Feb. 21 Metro article focused on the generous terms of Rosemount’s lease, leading readers to believe someone was making a lot of money here. . But both Rosemount and the landlord are charitable organizations. The lease terms were intentionally generous.
In our 33 years in Mount Pleasant, my wife and I have come to consider Rosemount an important regional and city institution. Our children attended Rosemount in his 1990s and benefited from the strong bilingual program and the warmth and skill of the teachers.
Developing a high-quality program like Rosemount takes years of skill and dedication. The center serves 240 infants, toddlers, preschoolers (from birth to her fifth year of life), and pregnant women through center-based and home-based services. Rosemount collaborates with the Strong Start DC Early Intervention Program, DC Public Schools Early Stage, and other important social programs.
The use of the property for child care appears to be subject to the terms of the original deed. The building’s owners, who were originally connected to the Anglican Church, said the generous financial terms of the lease were not sustainable.
There must be room for compromise to preserve this essential child care resource. It could be a reconsideration of lease terms, a takeover by the D.C. government, or something else. However, this valuable organization should not be easily disbanded.
William Gwinner, Washington