Two teachers are now living in the latest home designed and built as part of our Teacher Housing Initiative, which now provides rent-free housing to nine Friends Center for Children teachers. We celebrated their housewarming with community members across New Haven, who participated in a “working party” to help furnish the housing.

Friends Center launched this program through the support of generous donors with the goal of providing housing as a salaried benefit for our teachers. This first- (and only-) of-its-kind initiative increases all of our educators’ salaries, reduces our annual operating costs and creates an enduring investment asset for our institution and for our future. 

By 2028, the innovative early childhood education provider aspires to provide 30% of its anticipated expanded 80-teacher workforce with this salaried benefit. The program was launched in 2021 with two properties of four housing units total, which were bought and donated to Friends Center. The initiative expanded through a five-year partnership with the Yale School of Architecture’s Jim Vlock Building Project.

“As we celebrate Furnishing Day at Friends Center, the broader New Haven community joins us in supporting our educators,” said Allyx Schiavone, executive director of Friends Center for Children. “Our first- and only-of-its-kind Teacher Housing Initiative shifts how we think about investing in our childcare system and our educators. Raising compensation through free housing is one major way we can better care for the people who care for the youngest versions of ourselves.”