Guiding our community to a brighter future.

NorthStar Learning Centers

Our mission is to help young people overcome poverty, discrimination, educational disadvantage, violence, and other adversity through learning essential competencies and hopefulness with which they can transform their lives and communities.

Children reacting excitedly during group activity

About Us

NorthStar's first initiative was community childcare, which is still at the heart of our mission. NorthStar has grown from a single child care center to a multi-service agency with a $8+million year organization budget, operating wrap-around programs and services for over 2,000 participants from birth to adulthood who are living in the most challenging circumstances. We provide culturally competent, research informed services, and address structural racism.

Building on strength

We focus on what’s right with children, youth, and families instead of what’s wrong with them.

Culturally Responsive

We bring the special challenges facing children, youth, and families of color to the policy tables.

Impact Areas

Education

We offer high-quality child development services for children from 1 month to kindergarten in two centers...

Youth & Family Services

NorthStar offers four specialized programs designed to support families and children across New Bedford...

Mental Health Services

NorthStar Learning Centers Mental Health Clinic started as a thought and then emerged into a set of principles...

Violence Intervention & Prevention

NorthStar Learning Centers is home to three Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) programs...