Metro Government awards $4.6 million to organizations for early childhood development
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - On Tuesday, eight Louisville nonprofits were awarded American Rescue Plan funding to help advance early childhood development.
Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg said $4.6 million in ARP funds was awarded by Metro Government for the Americana Community Center, the de Paul School Kemper Academy for Teaching and Learning, Family and Children’s Place, Imagination Library of Louisville, Metro United Way, National Center for Families Learning, Waterfront Development Corporation and the YMCA of Greater Louisville.
Funding for the eight Louisville nonprofits was authorized by Metro Council last year, organized by District 4 councilman Jecorey Arthur and former District 8 councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong.
At the Southwest Branch of the YMCA on Tuesday, Greenberg said the funds will allow organizations to provide additional learning opportunities for young children, such as providing books for children learning how to read as well as building and expanding outdoor play spaces.
“We know that for kids to learn in this age group, play is how they learn and how they develop,” Greenberg said. “So play spaces, particularly when they’re outdoors, help facilitate this.”
He also said funding to these projects provides an investment to the future of the Louisville Metro.
“Creating a more equitable future for all of Louisville’s children and families requires teamwork, coordination and collaboration,” Metro United Way president and CEO Adria Johnson said. “The needs of children and families in our community are complex and diverse, requiring supports and solutions that are equally complex and diverse.”
“No one group is going to make a change on a community-wide level unless we collaborate,” YMCA of Greater Louisville CEO Steve Tarver said. “So on behalf of the YMCA, we are honored to serve with the mayor’s office, and the city, and the other partners work, and we’re honored to add this to the 170th year of the existence of the YMCA in this region.”
Greenberg said in addition to the ARP funding, his administration will be announcing additional initiatives to support local nonprofits involved in early childhood learning.
A breakdown of the totals can be seen below:
Metro United Way - $653,435 to expand access to developmental screening, $789,415 to build 12 natural playscapes, $176,015 to prepare child care educators and families for kindergarten.
National Center for Families Learning - $1,376,084 to partner with community organizations to host family-child playgroups to improve literacy and school readiness.
YMCA of Greater Louisville - $420,969 to offer family-child school readiness, including outdoor play, community building and YMCA memberships.
The de Paul School - $319,440 to partner with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and Family Scholar House to provide children evaluation and interventions for occupational and speech therapy along with training for parents.
Imagination Library of Louisville - $270,090 to ensure that all Louisville children, from birth to 5 years old, can receive free books each month.
Family & Children’s Place - $256,331 to expand access to developmental screening for refugee and immigrant families.
Waterfront Development Corporation - $209,000 for signage and videos at Waterfront Park Playport to facilitate child learning and parent engagement.
Americana Community Center - $125,129 for generational school readiness programming for refugee parents and children up to 5 years old.
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