South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) Early Education & Family Support Programs
South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) / Yerba Buena Gardens Child Development Center & Transbay Child Development Center, 790 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
About
South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) Early Education & Family Support Programs is a nonprofit organization that provides early education and family support services. The program serves nearly 130 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers each year at two schools and offers free comprehensive family support services. Its programs are grounded in developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and inclusive early learning practices.
• Ages: 0–5 years old
Founded in 1970, SOMACC has served children, their families, and the community for over 50 years and became officially known as South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) in the late 1980s. Yerba Buena Gardens Child Development Center opened in 1998, the South of Market Family Resource Center launched in 1999, and the Transbay Child Development Center officially opened in December 2019. The original Clementina Street site relocated in 2006 to Natoma Street and was renamed Judith Baker Child Development Center, which permanently closed in 2022.
SOMACC commits to serving children and families of the South of Market neighborhood and surrounding communities by offering early education and comprehensive family support services in safe and nurturing environments. The organization serves primarily low-income, immigrant, homeless, and at-risk populations and was selected by Mercy Housing California and the San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education, now the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, to operate a new early childhood education site within the Transbay Project Area. The South of Market Family Resource Center reaches over 500 families each year, offering parenting workshops, case management, and community events, and the organization states a belief that education and family empowerment are interconnected while focusing on children’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social development and strengthening families and communities.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Jennifer De Palm, Finance Director Melinda Soria, and Development & Admissions Manager Joy Wi. SOMACC has been described as a vital presence and highly respected institution in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood since 1970.
Last updated June 6, 2026.
• Ages: 0–5 years old
Founded in 1970, SOMACC has served children, their families, and the community for over 50 years and became officially known as South of Market Child Care, Inc. (SOMACC) in the late 1980s. Yerba Buena Gardens Child Development Center opened in 1998, the South of Market Family Resource Center launched in 1999, and the Transbay Child Development Center officially opened in December 2019. The original Clementina Street site relocated in 2006 to Natoma Street and was renamed Judith Baker Child Development Center, which permanently closed in 2022.
SOMACC commits to serving children and families of the South of Market neighborhood and surrounding communities by offering early education and comprehensive family support services in safe and nurturing environments. The organization serves primarily low-income, immigrant, homeless, and at-risk populations and was selected by Mercy Housing California and the San Francisco Office of Early Care and Education, now the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood, to operate a new early childhood education site within the Transbay Project Area. The South of Market Family Resource Center reaches over 500 families each year, offering parenting workshops, case management, and community events, and the organization states a belief that education and family empowerment are interconnected while focusing on children’s cognitive, emotional, physical, and social development and strengthening families and communities.
The leadership team includes Executive Director Jennifer De Palm, Finance Director Melinda Soria, and Development & Admissions Manager Joy Wi. SOMACC has been described as a vital presence and highly respected institution in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood since 1970.
Last updated June 6, 2026.
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