East Savannah United (ESU) announced today that the organization has launched a Tuition Scholarship Fund for students from low-income families attending the new Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC). A public-private partnership between Chatham County, the City of Savannah and ESU, the new SPLOST-funded center is currently under construction on property provided through a long-term ground lease with the Housing Authority of Savannah. The new 20,000 sq. ft. facility will also include a public library, a health clinic, and a training hub for other local childcare providers. Monthly tuition per child is projected to be approximately $1,000 per month.

Scheduled for completion in the spring of 2026, the ECLC is ESU's first major initiative to address educational and economic health disparities on Savannah’s Eastside. The center will serve 144 children from six weeks to four years old and will adhere to Quality Rated standards set by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. ESU has committed to ensuring at least half of the children enrolled are from the area’s low-income families and is now asking the community for help in funding Tuition Scholarships for these students.

 “In order to make sure that every child has an opportunity to succeed, 50% of the children enrolled in this new early learning center must be from low-income families living in East Savannah,” said Derek Mallow, Executive Director of ESU. “Although a major gift would greatly help to establish this fund long-term, we welcome donations of all amounts. We are committed to providing quality educational opportunities to ensure everyone on the Eastside has a fighting chance to move out of generational poverty.”

ESU’s initial focus on the ECLC is supported by numerous studies that confirm the formative years are a critical time of brain development and children who receive early learning in a first-rate childcare setting have a stronger chance of succeeding. National research shows that high-quality early childhood education improves school readiness, boosts long-term academic achievement, increases high school graduation and employment rates, and reduces poverty across generations.