Allentown-based, Inc., is being awarded an annual $850,000 federal Early Head Start grant, to improve access to high quality early learning opportunities for infants and toddlers in low-income families.
The grant is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'
"We're awarding $850,000 annually to Community Services for Children to help ensure more children in Allentown will benefit from high-quality early childhood efforts," said Sylvia M. Burwell, secretary of the department, in a news release.
"As a result, we expect that 32 additional children a year will be able to access Early Head Start. That's a lot of young lives changed, and a lot of impact delivered."
Added Mark Greenberg, acting assistant secretary of the Administration for Children and Families: "Research shows the first three years are critical for brain development and Early Head Start provides high-quality early care and learning opportunities for our most vulnerable young children.
"These grants will help support working families by providing a full-day, full-year program for young children."
Infants and toddlers in the new program will receive "developmentally enriching care-giving, promoting their physical, cognitive, social and emotional development, and preparing them for future growth."
In addition, the program will offer support to parents in their roles as primary caregivers and teachers, helping them move toward self-sufficiency.
The Early Head Start program requires significant support from the community, including matching funds, much of which is delivered in kind,, according to spokesmen.
"The programs are most effective when local businesses and community organizations work together to support the most vulnerable children.
"Public and private entities throughout the community are invited to embrace this new program and be part of the solution for early childhood care and education."
The grant is part of the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership program President Obama first proposed in his 2013 State of the Union address, when he put forward a comprehensive plan to support high-quality early education for all children from birth through school age.