About Us
Our Mission
ACCF’s mission is to nurture a collaborative community where children are inspired to reach their full potential, and their families serve as the foundation of their growth.
Our Purpose
Programs are designed to meet a child’s academic, social, emotional, and physical needs. Participation in programs benefits children and families on multiple levels to nurture healthy development. This includes improving school readiness, combating food insecurity, preventing summer reading loss, and providing a safe, nurturing environment for out-of-school time. ACCF’s Family Support Team strives to increase a family’s strengths and decrease stressors by providing information and opportunities for learning and growth to support confidence in parenting. In times of crisis, ACCF programs and services provide critical support which positively changes the trajectory of the whole family. Affordable childcare allows working parents to maintain jobs or go to school, and the Family Support Program empowers through skill-building, resource sharing, and direct access to services.
98%
of the children graduating from ACCF’s VPK Early Learning Program maintained an attendance level of at least 70% met or exceeded the kindergarten readiness as measured by the Bracken School Readiness Assessment. These children scored Average (75%), Advanced (16%), or Very Advanced (7%).
In 2019 our After School Programs became accredited by
Green Apple Accreditation of Child Services
Summer Programs
ACCF’s Summer Programs are shown to have a statistically significant educational effect on reading levels, stopping summer learning loss for children in our program
More than
243,000
free meals served each year
Gold Level
Certification for Excellence in Non Profit Management from Non Profits First.
90%
of parents have a greater connection to ACCF because of our Family Strengthening programming
85¢
of every dollar goes into direct services
Our Early Learning Programs are accredited by
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC),
a distinction held since 1995. In 2023 we reaccredited and scored over 100% in all NAEYC program standards and a minimum of 99% in the four classrooms assessed.
ACCF parents pay
63% less
than the average cost for infant care in the state of Florida.
(economic policy institute)
History
Founded in 1969 as the Community Child Care Center of Delray Beach (our corporate name), the Achievement Centers for Children & Families began as a pilot program in response to the overwhelming need for affordable, quality childcare for working mothers.
As a small nonprofit organization, our mission began in donated church schoolrooms with a handful of teachers and children. As the low-income community needs became increasingly evident, our program quickly grew to support these families and help prepare their children for success in the public school system. The Achievement Centers’ program was so successful that we relocated to a small house a few years later. In 1990, a new preschool facility opened serving children ages 3-5 years old on land donated by the city of Delray Beach. Less than six years later, we built a toddler center to serve children between 12 months to 3 years old. In 2001, we opened our 19,000-square-foot after-school center to serve kindergarten through fifth-grade students with enrichment services.
Our programs were expanded again in 2004 with the addition of an after-school program, teen program, adult education program, and adult center at the Village Academy. In January 2007, we officially changed our name from the Community Child Care Center to the Achievement Centers for Children & Families to aptly describe our dedication to providing services for under-resourced families in Palm Beach County.