In Universal’s affordable housing community, Catchlight Crossings, Wendover Housing Partners has an exciting announcement, revealing that they have partnered with Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Academy to open a tuition-free Montessori-inspired preschool that will be located within the community.
What’s Happening:
- Wendover Housing Partners today announces it has signed a ten-year lease agreement with Bezos Academy to open a tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschool that will be a part of the future Catchlight Crossings multi-family affordable housing community – the cornerstone of Universal Parks & Resorts’ Housing for Tomorrow initiative.
- Housing for Tomorrow is Universal’s first-of-its-kind approach designed to help create an innovative solution to address Orlando’s critical need for affordable housing by creating inclusive, economically diverse housing options. Universal pledged 20 acres of prime land in the heart of Orlando’s tourist corridor to be used for 1,000 units of affordable/mixed-income multi-family housing. After conducting a national search, Universal selected Wendover to develop and manage the community and bring the vision for Catchlight Crossings to life.
- Catchlight Crossings is a true affordable, inclusive housing community that will provide economically diverse housing options to Central Florida residents. The community will be open to anyone who meets the income requirements set forth by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Catchlight Crossings sets a new vision for what affordable housing can be; a community built to enhance the lifestyle of its residents. This includes a wide range of on-site services – like Bezos Academy’s tuition-free preschool – that will put residents first.
- Bezos Academy is a non-profit organization that is building a network of tuition-free preschools. Their preschools offer year-round, full-day programming, five days a week, for children ages 3-5 years old from low-income families. Bezos Academy also provides students with all necessary educational supplies and services to set each student up for success, including Montessori materials, books, arts and crafts, field trips, and meals. For more information, visit: www.bezosacademy.org
- The Bezos Academy preschool will be located on-site within the Catchlight Crossings community. The school, Bezos Academy Orlando – Destination Parkway, will feature five classrooms, accommodate up to 100 children, and will follow a full-day, year-round schedule, and will be open the same time residents move into Catchlight Crossings. This will be the fourth Bezos Academy school located in Central Florida.
- Families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level with children aged 3-4 years old are eligible to apply. This means that, for a family of four, the annual household income can be up to $111,000 to qualify.
What They’re Saying:
- Jonathan L. Wolf, founder and CEO of Wendover Housing Partners: “In developing Catchlight Crossings, we wanted to think through all aspects of residents’ lives, and that includes early childhood education. By partnering with Bezos Academy, we are proud to offer free preschool education in addition to an affordable place to live. This community goes far beyond affordable housing, it’s about really improving the quality of life for Central Florida residents.”
- Mike George, President of Bezos Academy: “We look for partners who help us go above and beyond meeting the educational needs of the child. That is why we are so excited to be a part of Wendover Housing Partners’ and Universal Parks and Resorts’ plan to provide affordable housing with wrap-around services for its employees and the surrounding community.”