Our History

1964 — Our Beginnings

• The Hunts Point Coordinating Council (HPCC) is founded by community leaders Ms. Daisy Bradshaw and Mr. Fred Williams, known as the “Mama and Papa of Hunts Point’s Head Start.”

• HPCC opens its first Head Start classroom at 710 Coster Street, serving local families on the Hunts Point peninsula.

1965 — Head Start Is Born

• President Lyndon Johnson launches the national “War on Poverty.”

• Head Start is created to support children from low‑income families with early learning, health, nutrition, and family services.

• HPCC’s Head Start program becomes part of this new national movement.

1981 — La Pen Becomes Its Own Organization

• The South Bronx faces major challenges—rising crime, unemployment, abandoned buildings, and deep poverty.

• As federal Head Start standards change, the program grows and requires stronger organizational structure.

• La Peninsula Community Organization, Inc. is formed as an independent spin‑off from HPCC.

• La Pen receives its first federal Head Start contract, officially beginning its work as a standalone community organization.

1981–Present — Growing With Our Community

• La Pen continues expanding early childhood services across Hunts Point and Longwood, staying deeply connected to local families.

• For more than five decades, the organization has remained committed to high‑quality early education, family support, and community strength.