2011: Artist rendering of Journey House Center for Family Learning and Youth Athletics

1886 – 2011

1886: H.W. Longfellow School opens

1969: Americorps VISTA volunteers found “Happy Moon Journey House”

1987: Journey House purchases church on 1900 W. Washington St. (Now the Adult Learning Center)

1996: Dr. Michele Bria joins Journey House as the Associate Director—at the time Journey House has only six staff members and a budget of $270,000

1997: Journey House launches original Capital Campaign

1998: Journey House opens the Community Learning Center at Longfellow School

1999: Journey House directors meet with Mayor John Norquist at City Hall

2000: MPS approves the “Neighborhood Schools Initiative”

2006: Longfellow adds new addition and 400 more students

2008: Walter L. and Grace M. Merten Charitable Trust provides Journey House with a $500,000 donation

2008: The Zilber Family Foundation selects the Clarke Square neighborhood as one of two initial pilots of the Zilber Neighborhood Initiative

2008-2009: Journey House raises $3 million towards their Capital Campaign Fund. The goal is $5.95 million

2009: Burke Foundation provides a $1 million investment to the Journey House’s Capital Campaign Fund

2009: Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) are introduced as a new tax credit under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)

2009: MPS receives $72 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs)

2010: MPS approves $2.95 million toward construction of the new building

2011: Spring – Groundbreaking for the Journey House Center for Family Learning and Youth Athletics