Ted Shallcross President and CEO | Amica Insurance
Amica Insurance and the Boston Celtics have announced plans to open a new early childhood education center in Providence, Rhode Island. The announcement was made during a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum, Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Celtics President Rich Gotham, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, Amica Insurance President and CEO Ted Shallcross, Executive Director of Providence Housing Authority Melissa Sanzaro, and community members.
The project is supported by funding from the Amica Companies Foundation and the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. The new center will be located at the Manton Heights Community Center in South Providence and will be owned by the Providence Housing Authority. It will include three flexible classrooms designed for children ranging from infants to preschoolers, with capacity for up to 42 children aged 18 months to five years old.
Ted Shallcross, President and CEO of Amica Insurance, said: “When we partnered with the Celtics in 2024, our goal was clear: to bring the strength of our two brands together to create meaningful impact in communities across New England. Expanding access to safe, high-quality early childhood education is a cornerstone of that commitment. We’re proud to invest in our home state of Rhode Island and excited to welcome local families to this new center in the months ahead.”
This initiative is part of Celtics United, a social justice fund launched by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation in 2020 as a decade-long $25 million effort aimed at addressing systemic inequities across New England. The fund targets areas such as education, health care access, economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, civic engagement, and reducing barriers between communities.
Rich Gotham, President of the Boston Celtics stated: “The Celtics are committed to creating opportunities that help young people thrive, and early education is a critical factor in shaping successful outcomes in a child’s life. We’re proud to work alongside Amica to support families in Providence and beyond, and we believe this new early childhood center will help make a tangible difference.”
Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley commented: "Expanding access to high-quality early learning has been a top priority of my administration from day one. This new early childhood center at Manton Heights reflects our shared commitment to investing directly in our neighborhoods and giving every child the strong start they deserve. As the son of a preschool teacher, I know how critical early education is to a child's long-term success. I want to thank Amica and the Boston Celtics for helping make this center possible and for believing in the future of Providence."
Melissa Sanzaro, Executive Director of Providence Housing Authority added: “We are focused on making an impact for generations to come by providing public housing residents access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education. We are grateful to the Celtics and Amica for their partnership in bringing this new center to life, and we look forward to opening its doors to the children of the Manton Heights community in the coming months.”
The opening marks an initial step toward broader efforts by Amica Insurance and the Boston Celtics aimed at improving accessibility disparities within early education throughout New England. Future phases will involve offering grants for regional providers seeking financial assistance.
Licensed early education providers interested in participating can find more information or express interest through https://www.celtics.com/earlyeducation.
The Providence Housing Authority expects that construction will be completed with an official opening scheduled for early 2026.
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