The Henry County Community Foundation has received a $50,000 planning grant as part of the Lilly Endowment’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT VIII) initiative.
“This GIFT VIII planning grant will allow us to continue the momentum that began with our efforts from GIFT VII in childcare development,” said the president and executive director, Jennifer Fox. “With the formation of the Henry County Childcare Network, the opening of Bev’s Kindergarten Prep at Tri Junior-Senior High School, and the development of numerous community partnerships, the GIFT VIII planning grant will provide necessary resources to build the future of early childcare and education.”
The grant will help the Foundation and community partners continue building seamless paths to child care by adding knowledge about preschool and childcare in the area to what is already known. The work will become more focused on the needs for infant/toddler care and extended hours for school-aged children, all barriers to economic growth in Henry County.
The Foundation will continue conversations with businesses who have expressed interest in future childcare locations and will help provide a strategy for a piloted program for before/after school care. This will pave the way for the community to create a productive workforce that attracts new jobs and families to Henry County.
“We cannot think of child care as a family issue. It is a community issue. If we want to grow our community, it is an economic issue and everyone’s problem whether you have young children or not,” said Liane Nickey, Executive Director of the Henry County Child Care Network.
Information provided by Henry County Community Foundation and reprinted with permission of The Courier-Times. Read more local stories at TheCourierTimes.com.