The Danville-based Center for Early Success received had $2.77 million in state funding to help families with child care, an industry experiencing struggles locally and across the nation.
The center serves the cities of Danville and Lynchburg along with 14 other counties in Central and Southside Virginia.
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation announced the total of $37.36 million in grants and state money from the Virginia Department of Education earlier this month, a news release reported.
Through a program called Mixed Delivery — which offers financial support to parents — the grant will help 2,530 children across the state. Most of the kids will be 3 or 4 years old, however money will go to about 517 infants, toddlers and 2-year-olds.
“Investments in early education that empower parents to choose the best learning environments for their children and help families thrive are key to Virginia’s prosperity,” Richard Bynum, the board chair of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, said. “Leveraging innovation and public-private partnerships, the Mixed Delivery program delivers affordable access to high quality early care and education services for our children, families and communities to be successful.”
The program, administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, started in 2016 and has evolved since. It’s geared toward low-income and at-risk households, according to the release.
A recent survey revealed that in Danville and Pittsylvania County, there are 810 early child care slots needed to close the current gap.
That service gap equates to about a $22 million economic impact.
“The Mixed Delivery program continues to bring great value to Virginia by increasing choice for families, fostering partnerships between public and private early education providers, and delivering strong results with long-term benefits for young children and their families,” said Kathy Glazer, President of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.
For more information, visit www.vecf.org.
Read the full article here (John Crane, Danville Register & Bee)