A Brighter Community, Inc. was founded in 1922 when the United Way was known as the Community Chest, pulling together 16 agencies in its first fund drive. At that time the school was known as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union Day Nursery. The buyers for the school’s location on Marion Street just north of downtown Tampa are well known in Tampa’s history, J.A. Epps and J.G. Bedingfield. The trustees at the time were James W Morris, Jr. James Hadly, E.H.Robinson, W. Raleigh Petteway and Howard P. Macfarlane. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union Day Nursery later became known as the Tampa Day Nursery and still remains at the same location on Marion Street. A Brighter Community, Inc. is the older non-profit preschool in Hillsborough County. The school is United Way supported and a nationally accredited preschool and family support program. Through community collaborations A Brighter Community offers access to speech, occupational and physical therapy along with mental health counseling. The school serves economically and environmentally at risk children, ages 3 – 5 years. The school is a certified voluntary pre-kindergarten provided. Our purpose is to create a brighter future for at risk children by building a foundation of support through education and quality programming. In 1925 the Women’s Christian Temperance Union Day Nursery founder Mama Houston, saw a need for a daycare and school for hard working, lower income families. The school’s values remain the same today, helping those who are willing to help themselves. Over the years, A Brighter Community has prepared over 2,000 children for Kindergarten. The addition of a family support program enables the staff at A Brighter Community to provide services to not only the preschool children but to their families as well. Our family support system provides resources, referral information and assistance in housing, employment, education, transportation and holiday assistance.
