Golden Gate History

Golden Gate Community Center was founded in 1936 by the Episcopal Church as the East Madison Street Settlement. Incorporated in 1952 as a settlement house, Golden Gate was a true community center offering a well-baby clinic, sports activities, a home training course, and a kindergarten.

Displaced by the construction of Sky Harbor Airport in 1986, many residents of the old neighborhood were dispersed, but a significant number came with Golden Gate to rebuild their community near its new and current location at McDowell Road and 39^th Ave.  Sadly, most tight-knit communities, once disrupted, fail to hold together. The fact that Golden Gate has been able to do that and continues to prosper so many years later is a testament to its importance to the community.

Check out our brief outline and photo history of Golden Gate Community Center's 75 years of providing services to Maricopa county:     

1936-1970s      1980s-present

Golden Gate Today

Golden Gate currently serves over 7,000 children, youth, adults, and seniors annually through a wide variety of minimal or no-fee programs and services for tots to seniors for the surrounding neighborhoods.  Services are provided in response to community need and serve family members of all ages.  Because Golden Gate exists, thousands of people of all ages have affordable access to recreation and personal development activities, education classes, or preventive health services including:

• Head Start for preschool children and families.
• K.A.R.E. Intergenerational Center:  information, referral and case management services for grandparents and other relatives raising grandchildren and children born to others.
• After-school recreation program Strong Youth Strong Community and enrichment programming for children 7-18.
• Adult education including computer classes, citizenship classes, English as a Second Language and a reading club.
• Nutrition and Physical Activity awareness classes for the entire family.
• Health and immunization fairs.
• Aerobics for women.
• Senior socialization, health screenings and information and meals.
• Clothing, food and gifts to neighborhood families during the holidays.
• Golden Gate Neighborhood Revitalization Project.
• Financial Literacy program for community members.

Click here to see GGCC Video on YouTube