Funds will support child care and early education programs for local underserved children and families
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced that Total Action for Progress (TAP), a local non-profit community action agency, will receive $2,717,445 from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support Early Head Start programs in the Roanoke Valley.
TAP’s Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program provides comprehensive high-quality child care services to up to 148 income-eligible children, up to age three, in partnership with 11 community childcare centers in the Roanoke and New River Valleys, the Alleghany Highlands, and the Rockbridge area. The programs work to ensure that income-eligible children receive education and child care in partnership with existing child care providers, and families receive comprehensive family and health services. Through this grant, TAP and local community partners will provide ongoing intensive support to center directors and teachers in areas such as curriculum, assessment of children’s development, professional development, and recruitment of eligible children.
“This federal funding will help provide a foundation for young children to be better prepared for the challenges they will face in school and in life,” said Senator Warner. “We know early learning is one of the best predictors of educational outcomes, and these funds will play a key role in helping kids from disadvantaged backgrounds reach higher and close the achievement gap.”
Centers located in the following areas will receive funding through this grant: Alleghany County, Town of Blacksburg, City of Covington, Craig County, Giles County, City of Lexington, Town of Pulaski, City of Roanoke, and Roanoke County.
