ELC AWARDED
$398,650 CARES ACT
FUNDS & $50,000
UNITED WAY GRANT...
The Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County, Inc (ELC)
was awarded a $398,650 grant through the Office of Early
Learning (OEL) to support local providers during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
$262,000 was awarded to 131 programs, and $136,650 was
awarded to 255 individual program staff for completion of
specified professional development opportunities. Grants were
designated for health and safety supplies, infrastructure needs
and staff professional development to assist providers who
remained open.
Paul Sharff, ELC Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are grateful to
the Office of Early Learning for helping us to support our Manatee
County early care programs that have stood with us to serve the
children of our essential workers.”
ELC has also been awarded a $50,000 grant from United Way
Suncoast to help fund a collaborative effort between the ELC and
Feeding Tampa Bay, in support of PALS participants, teenage
parents, and Early Head Start participants being served at
Harllee Service Center.
Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) facilitates the parents'
mastery of specific skills for interacting with their infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers with a focus on strengthening the
bond between parent and child and to stimulate early language,
cognitive, and social development.
Parents with children 4 months to 48 months participate in 15-18 weekly
home visits. Additionally, families will have access to nutritionally
adequate food at the Harllee Service Center food pantry.
The overall program cost is $75,000 and anyone willing to support
this partnership can find more information at www.elc-manatee.org.
Sharon Oakes, ELC Chief Operations Officer, said: “We are grateful
to the United Way Suncoast for this investment in our partnership
with Feeding Tampa Bay. Through our collaboration with the
school district and Early Head Start, we will have the good financial
start needed to serve some of our most vulnerable citizens.”
Mr. Sharff is pictured below with Marjani Jones, ELC Board of
Directors Provider Representative and Annette Larkin, owner of
Happy Cubs, and an ELC Board Member.
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/www.elc-manatee.org