Today, Ability Housing announced a 10-year agreement with Bezos Academy to open a tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschool in Orlando to open fall 2022. This is the first Bezos Academy preschool announced in Florida.
The Bezos Academy preschool will be in the Village on Mercy apartment community, which is owned by Ability Housing at 1766 Mercy Drive in Orlando. The preschool will follow a full-day, year-round schedule, and will be slated to open two classrooms in fall 2022.

“Housing is the foundation of our lives. Without stable housing, families struggle. But to truly succeed, families need a network of support to foster their economic resiliency and mobility,” said Shannon Nazworth, President and CEO of Ability Housing. “Ability Housing made a commitment to operate our housing as a springboard for our families’ futures, with the goal to eliminate intergenerational poverty amongst our residents. This partnership is perfectly aligned with that commitment. The opportunity it provides our residents is tremendous.”

“About half of all preschool-aged kids in the U.S. aren’t in school, often due to cost or availability,” said Mike George, President of Bezos Academy. “That’s just not right. We’re grateful to Ability Housing for helping us offer an early learning solution at no cost to Orlando’s families.”

“Orlando’s success can have no greater measure than the opportunities we create for our children. Through this partnership, Ability Housing and Bezos Academy will help shape our city’s next generation of leaders, dreamers, and innovators,” said Buddy Dyer, Mayor of the City of Orlando.

Families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty limit with children aged 3-4 will be eligible to apply. More information and an application to the lottery-based selection process will be posted at https://www.bezosacademy.org/orlando-mercy-drive-fl once the school opening date is set.

About Ability Housing
Ability Housing is an industry-leading not-for-profit multifamily rental housing developer dedicated to creating high-quality affordable housing. We invest in communities through properties that enhance their surrounding neighborhoods, improve each community’s quality of life, and connect residents with a network of voluntary support services.
For more information, visit abilityhousing.org, like the organization on Facebook
(facebook.com/AbilityHousing) and follow on Twitter (@AbilityHousing).

About Bezos Academy 
Bezos Academy is a non-profit organization that is building a network of tuition-free preschools. Our preschools offer year-round, full-day programming, five days a week, for children ages 3-5 years old from low-income families. Bezos Academy also provides students with all necessary educational supplies and services to set each student up for success, including Montessori materials, books, arts and crafts, field trips, and meals. For more information, visit: www.bezosacademy.org.