FYCC Celebrates 25th Anniversary 

On October 23rd, 2024, the Janice Mirkitani Family, Youth, and Childcare Center (FYCC) honored its 25th anniversary (and its first Back to School Night since 2019!) with a celebration of the new mural painted on the front of the building. At the same time, we celebrated our President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer’s one year anniversary of working at GLIDE.

      (L) GLIDE President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer (wearing black jacket) standing next to                     former GLIDE Board member Sharon Osberg and on the (R) Dr. Gina Fromer 
                               receiving recognition from Assemblyman Matt Haney’s office

A representative from Matt Haney’s office gave Dr. Gina a Certificate of Recognition for her exceptional work.  Children munched popcorn and picked up free plushie penguins and llamas during celebratory remarks in English and Spanish.

Our Chief Program Officer Lillian Mark spoke about how FYCC was living Janice Mirkitani’s dream of loving, consistent support for parents. When Dr. Gina took the podium, she quoted Janice’s proverb, “Never forget about the women and children.”

Beaming with a warm smile on the parents, children, and FYCC staff, she added, “We adore and love you. You need anything, we got you.” FYCC parent Kaitlyn Lang spoke as well, saying, “GLIDE has been my family for ten years, it has helped my family grow immensely, in ways we never could have imagined.” 

The new mural on the front of the FYCC building, depicting Janice Mirkitani reading a book about Maya Angelou to a group of children, used the actual children who attend the childcare center as inspiration for the painting.

It was designed and painted by the muralists Precita Eyes. Although painting on scaffolding in the heart of the Tenderloin was hectic, they said they were amply rewarded by the joy in the children’s eyes when they saw themselves in the mural.

          A mixture of GLIDE staff and board members outside of GLIDE’s FYCC building