Hazel Park Schools Celebrates Opening of Longfellow Community Center

Hazel Park Faculties celebrates opening of Longfellow Group Heart

(Crystal A. Proxmire, December 12, 2025)

Hazel Park, MI – The dream of a group middle that helps households in a number of methods underneath one roof has change into a actuality after months of planning and a $1 million grant from the Michigan Division of Labor and Financial Alternative. The Longfellow Group Heart in Hazel Park can be totally operational early this yr, though among the area has already been activated.

Hazel Park Faculties makes use of the repurposed former elementary college constructing at 2440 Batelle to supply a wide range of providers and alternatives for folks of all ages to attach with one another. Former school rooms are being transformed right into a psychological well being clinic, gymnasium, video games and puzzle room, meals stall and extra. Discussions are underway to deliver employment help providers to the constructing, and the Oakland County Well being Division has already dedicated to bringing some providers to the middle.

There may be additionally a pc lab filled with donated laptops. As well as, there’s a area that folks can lease for conferences and occasions.

The college’s previous gymnasium has already come to life with a number of groups profiting from the area, which is able to quickly be obtainable to the general public with a schedule to be introduced within the new yr.

Longfellow may also home the workplaces of teams and departments dedicated to serving to Hazel Park households. Hazel Park Youth Help, which offers help and intervention to households scuffling with little one behavioral points, in addition to schooling and different preventative providers, has already claimed one of many workplaces. The district itself additionally has an workplace within the constructing, with Karla Graessley serving as group school director.

Superintendent Amy Kruppe stated on the ribbon slicing, “That is actually supposed to be a group college hub the place we will additionally present potential after-school providers for kids… We’re actually wanting ahead to working with town, Oakland County and different sources to ensure we’re offering the whole lot we want for our households, as a result of when now we have wholesome households, now we have wholesome youngsters.”

Hazel Park Faculties is only one of 5 public colleges to obtain the state infrastructure grant and the one one to take action within the tri-state space. When the grants had been introduced in March, Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated, “Group facilities anchor thriving communities throughout Michigan and supply Michiganders with locations to collect, join, be taught and entry sources. This funding for group facilities will assist us ship on our ‘Make it in Michigan’ imaginative and prescient to revitalize Michigan cities and cities by making them extra engaging locations to dwell, work and make investments.”

The Hazel Park College Board will quickly announce particulars concerning the Longfellow Heart because it totally opens within the new yr. For the most recent information and skim extra about Hazel Park Faculties, go to https://www.hazelparkschools.org/

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