Investing in early education helps build stronger families, communities and thriving economies. As part of our commitment to supporting early education, Entergy joined community leaders, educators and families to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Wilcox Academy’s new Central City Early Learning Center and educator housing facility. The celebration included a neighborhood second line featuring marching bands followed by a ribbon cutting with elected officials, community partners and supporters.

Wilcox Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary with the grand opening of its new Central City Campus. Entergy’s donation of $150,000 to support the state-of-the-art facility culminates two decades of support and collaboration that helped make the center a reality, including advocacy at the local, state and federal level to create the necessary funding.

“My parents were both educators so I learned the importance of a strong educational foundation at an early age,” said Deanna Rodriguez, president and CEO of Entergy New Orleans, “At Entergy, we believe education is essential to building strong communities and we are committed to supporting opportunities that help young people and families succeed.”

The facility is one of the first in the city to co-locate childcare and affordable housing – two of most pressing needs facing the city. The 13-classroom facility will serve up to 150 children from birth to age 5 and create approximately 30 local jobs. In addition, the campus provides wraparound services such as family coaching, healthcare partnerships, take-home meals, and includes four energy-efficient affordable housing units for early childhood educators.

“This campus is about creating a foundation for children and families to grow and succeed,” said Rochelle Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Academy. “When families have access to quality early education, stability and the resources they need, the benefits reach far beyond the classroom and strengthen the entire community.”

Entergy’s investment and support for early care and education date back to the early 2000s when the company joined efforts to support the Coalition for Pre-K for All.  More recently, Entergy was part of a coalition that led a successful effort in 2022 to create a millage, that with state matching funds, raises up to $40 million annually to provide 2,000 working families in Orleans Parish with access to high-quality early care and education. Through our investments in the Louisiana Policy Institute, Entergy also helped fund the advocacy efforts that created the state matching fund which was critical to the center’s opening.

State Sen. Royce Duplessis, who helped advance funding for the project, highlighted the power of collaboration and the long-term impact of investing in early education, families and affordable housing.

The Wilcox Academy Central City Early Learning Center brings together early education, family services and affordable housing to support families and strengthen the early childhood workforce. Entergy is proud to support Wilcox Early Learning Center and its commitment to education, helping create opportunities for young people and families while supporting a brighter future for the community.

Learn more here about Entergy’s year-round initiatives dedicated to help our communities that we serve.