Contact: Rose Lynch, Communications Director, (608) 266-6753
Milwaukee – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster presented grants to local child care agencies for enhancements to their programs at the COA Youth & Family Centers in Milwaukee today. Child care providers submitted applications for funds to assist with improvements to their programs through enhanced parent outreach, staff training, and/or additional materials for the center. Secretary Gassman and Superintendent Burmaster congratulated the 33 child care agencies throughout the state for working to improve the quality of their programs and for fostering an atmosphere for greater parent involvement.
A total of $35,000 is being awarded as part of the Governor’s KidsFirst initiative to improve the quality of the state’s child care programs and get Wisconsin children and families off to the right start. Funding for the grants is provided by the Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Fund, the Children’s Trust Fund and the Children’s Hospital and Health System in Milwaukee.
“I congratulate these child care agencies for their focus on children and families and for recognizing how important a nurturing environment is for children. The quality of care and learning opportunities that our children receive is directly related to their development and ability to do well in school,” Secretary Gassman said. “Study after study tells us that the investments we make in the early years last a lifetime.”
“The first lessons of life are learned in the family. These grants help families do the best for their children,” Superintendent Burmaster said. “To be sure, quality childcare and early learning programs are among the best investments we can make in our children. Every dollar invested in early learning programs returns significant savings by reducing the costs of drop-outs, remedial and special education, welfare, and crime.”
The grants are being awarded during The Week of the Young Child, which is April 2-8, 2006. This is an annual celebration to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. Also, April 2006 is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the theme is “Safe Children and Healthy Families are a Shared Responsibility.”
During her visit, Secretary Gassman also highlighted the Governor’s “Strengthening Families” initiative which is a collaborative effort of DWD, Children’s Trust Fund, the CAP Fund, the Department of Health and Family Services, the Wisconsin Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Network and other partners. The initiative is focused on supporting the efforts of child care providers to strengthen families and help prevent abuse and neglect through their daily contact with parents and children. The initiative also emphasizes Governor Jim Doyle’s “Kids First” agenda to strengthen early childhood in Wisconsin.
One hundred twenty-two child care agencies submitted proposals for the grants. The agencies that received the grants are as follows:
Agency Name City County Amount
ACS Child Care Appleton Outagamie $750
AMC Child Care Center Appleton Outagamie 1000
Bumble Bee Learning Center Milwaukee Milwaukee 1000
Celebration Children’s Center Appleton Outagamie 1000
COA Youth & Family Centers Milwaukee Milwaukee 1000
Community Child Care Center, Inc. Stevens Point Portage 1000
Community Options: 3 sites Green Lake; Markesan; Montello Green Lake; Marquette 1000
Discovery on Dousman Wauzeka Crawford 1000
Early Learning Center Neenah Winnebago 1000
Encompass CC: AB Walter Center Green Bay Brown 1000
Faith Child Care, Inc. Appleton Outagamie 1000
Gentle Lambs Childcare Center Onalaska La Crosse 1000
Kettle Moraine YMCA Cedar Lake Child Care West Bend Washington 1000
Kiddie Kampus Preschool & Day Care Watertown Jefferson 1000
Kids at Play Child Care Center Stoddard Vernon 1000
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee 750
Next Generation Now Racine Racine 1000
Noah’s Ark Child Care Center Boscobel Richland 1000
Noah’s Ark Day Care Center I & II: 2 sites Superior Douglas 1000
Noel Learning Center Stevens Point Portage 1000
Our Lady of the Assumption Child Care Center Beloit Rock 1000
RWCFS: 7 sites Beloit (2); Janesville; Evansville; Delavan; Lake Geneva; Whitewater 4000
St. Paul’s Little Lambs Childcare Center Manawa Waupaca 1000
Starbright Child Care Hayward Sawyer 1000
UMOS Head Start: 8 sites
Aurora; Beaver Dam; Montello; Palmyra; Plymouth; Rice Lake; Red Granite; Plainfield 2000
Wausau Child Care: 2 sites Wausau Marathon 1000
Westby Day Care and Learning Center, Inc. Westby Vernon 1000
Western Dairyland-Altoona Head Start Center Altoona Eau Claire 500
Western Dairyland-Blair Taylor Head Start Center Blair Trempeleau 500
Western Dairyland-Naples Head Start Center Mondovi Buffalo 1000
Woods Hollow Children’s Center Fitchburg Dane 1000
Woodson YMCA Child Development Center Wausau Marathon 500
YWCA Child Development Center: 2 sites Wausau Marathon 1000
Total Sites: 33 agencies, 51 sites $35,000
