Day Nursery Association

A Bright Beginning: The Story of Day Nursery Association (1909–Today)

In 1909, Scranton was a bustling coal town filled with hardworking families, long shifts, and mothers who carried the weight of providing for their children. A group of remarkable women from the College Club of Scranton saw something important, that the children of working mothers deserved a safe, nurturing place to learn, grow, and simply be children. So they created Day Nursery Association, a small but mighty haven built on compassion, community, and opportunity. 

What began as a single act of care quickly grew into a movement.

🌱 Growing With Scranton

As the city changed, Day Nursery changed with it. Through world wars, economic shifts, new educational research, and the evolving needs of families, one thing stayed constant: The belief that every child deserves high‑quality, affordable care, no matter their circumstances.

Generations of Scranton families have walked through the doors at 332 Jefferson Avenue. Some came seeking stability. Some came seeking early learning. Some came simply needing a place where their child would be loved. And Day Nursery has always said yes.

🎨 Learning Through Play

Today, Day Nursery continues to honor its original mission by embracing what we now know to be true: play is the work of childhood, and children thrive when they are seen as unique individuals with their own ideas, interests, and strengths. 

Classrooms are filled with curiosity. Counting with bug counters, painting masterpieces, building friendships, and discovering the joy of learning. Teachers nurture not just academic skills, but confidence, empathy, and independence.

💛 A Legacy of Lifting Families

Over the decades, thousands of children have found their footing here. Children like Rose, a shy four‑year‑old who blossomed into a confident learner because someone believed in her. Stories like hers echo through every classroom, every year. 

Day Nursery has always been more than a childcare center. It’s a second home, a launchpad, and sometimes even a lifeline.

🌟 Still Here. Still Growing. Still Saying Yes.

117 years after those visionary Scranton women opened the doors, Day Nursery remains one of the region’s longest‑standing early childhood programs, a testament to resilience, dedication, and community support.

And now, as we look toward the future, our mission is as urgent and vibrant as ever:

To keep providing high‑quality, affordable care to every child who needs us.  To keep families strong.  To keep saying yes.

💙 Your Gift Writes the Next Chapter

When you support Day Nursery Association, you’re not just giving to a program, you’re investing in Scranton’s children, its families, and its future.

You’re helping us continue a legacy that began in 1909 with a simple, powerful belief: Every child deserves a strong start.

And with your help, we’ll keep that promise for generations to come.