LYNN — Treehouse Learning Center celebrated the grand opening of its second location at 34 Munroe St. on Tuesday.
Yoel and Joselnia Rosario opened the first location at 30 Boston St., which serves 54 students, in 2021 after cashing in a 401K.
“It was rough,” Yoel Rosario said, adding they initially had trouble starting construction due to the pandemic. “It was uphill. But we believed in our dream and went for it.”
The new location will accommodate 98 children—from infants to pre-K students—and includes a kitchen for food to be cooked and served on-site as well as delivered to the Boston Street location. At the Boston Street location, students had to bring their own lunches, which staff then warmed up in a microwave.
The center received $5,000 from the Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Lynn through the American Rescue Plan Act grant funding.
“We’re so grateful,” said Yoel. “EDIC has always been a great resource.”
“There is increasing need for the services that Treehouse provides, so we are pleased to help them expand,” said EDIC Executive Director James Cowdell.
In addition to the kitchen, the new site will offer an on-site clinical pediatric care unit for children on the autism spectrum. The center is working with Celestina Rosario, an occupational therapist and the director of pediatric services for Treehouse Learning Center, to provide occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy.
Rosario added they will also have a once-a-week community day where parents who are part of the community will be able to join staff to learn more about autism, occupational therapy and resources, at no cost.
“I think Lynn deserves a place like Treehouse Learning Center where they can get the help they need, get the resources they need,” he said. “Kids are going to be able to come here and if they are on the spectrum or are falling behind, they are going to be able to get the help they need.”
“This is more than just a daycare. This is a learning facility,” he added.
“It is exciting to see any Lynn business prosper, especially one that provides a valuable service such as educating our youngest residents,” said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “We wish the Rosarios and all the families they serve continued success.”
Rosario said they are also planning to open an after-school program for older children. He said eventually parents will be able to take advantage of some of its services, such as English classes.
Rosario, who, along with his wife, emigrated from the Dominican Republic, added the organization is at “the point of no return,” meaning the grand opening of the new location is only a beginning of its growth and involvement in the Lynn community.
“We’re passionate about innovation and closing the gap,” he said. “We want our legacy to be that we made an impact in this community.”
