HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A cost-free school could soon come to Downtown Harrisburg.

The Catherine Hershey School for early learning is a subsidiary of Milton Hershey School. The organization is planning to open six early childhood learning centers with one the corner of North Sixth and Muench Streets in 2024.

Informational meet and connect feedback events will be held in Harrisburg. There was one held on April 8 and included free tacos.

The school will provide cost-free programs for kids up to five years old who are at risk.

“Investing in early childhood education helps with graduation rates, higher literacy rates, and high college graduation rates, lower crime rates, so many of those things that we are looking to do with our early childhood education programs,” Executive Director for Catherine Hershey Schools Senate Alexander said.

Another Harrisburg Community Informational meeting will be held in late spring. Meantime, Catherine Hershey Schools is now hiring for the first location in Hershey, which should open sometime next year.