Staff Reports
Early Learning Indiana recently awarded a $20,000 grant to Little Angels Daycare in Seymour as part of the $15 million Come Back Stronger Fund.
Supported by Lilly Endowment, the fund reinforces the state’s supply of high-quality early learning opportunities, especially for the most vulnerable children.
Little Angels Daycare will use the grant funds to support safety-related expenses and challenges as it continues to serve families in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release from Little Angels Daycare.
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“The health and safety of our children, families and staff is our top priority,” Director Rebekah Mains said. “In order for our community to come back stronger from the pandemic, high-quality child care is extremely important, and we’re committed to supporting families who need child care by providing a safe and educational environment.”
Because of social distancing and safety protocols, Little Angels is investing in individualized learning supplies and art kits for each child. Little Angels also will be purchasing additional tables and seating for meals.
The grant will help pay for upgrades to outdoor play spaces.
“The pandemic has shone a light on the critical role early care and education providers play in our society,” said Maureen Weber, president and chief executive officer of Early Learning Indiana. “Families need quality child care in order to go back to work, and children need safe and engaging environments to grow and learn.”
Early Learning Indiana, an early childhood education nonprofit, awarded a total of $2,341,000 to 155 providers in this first round of grant awards.
Little Angels was required to submit a narrative on how it would use the grant funds and serve children from vulnerable populations as well as meet the following criteria:
Be a licensed and registered center, ministry or family child care home provider in Indiana in good standing
Be an approved CCDF or On My Way Pre-K provider or a provider that otherwise serves children from vulnerable family populations, defined as households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
Operate as a Paths to QUALITY Level 3 or 4 or a Paths to QUALITY Level 2 with a demonstrated commitment to achieving a higher level of program quality
Serve children ages 0 to 5
Early child care organizations can still apply for a Come Back Stronger Fund grant at earlylearningin.org/comebackstronger.