With a $293,000 grant, Children’s Place will begin construction of the improvements in March
The Cape Cod Children’s Center has received $293,000 in state funds that will allow the center to renovate the old portion of its home in Eastham.
The money comes from the Haley-Driscoll Administration’s Early Learning and Out-of-School Capital Fund.
The fund’s primary goal is to renovate early education and out-of-school time facilities that primarily serve low-income families.
“We are very fortunate to receive this grant, as it is so important to support the early education and care sector,” said Cindy Horgan, Executive Director of Cape Cod Children’s Place.
The Haley-Driscoll administration recently announced the names of 20 organizations across the state to receive $8.5 million in previous grants from the Early Learning and Out-of-School Time Capital Fund.
“We are grateful to Governor Healey that he sees the value in this. It impacts everyone and makes our communities stronger in supporting the early education sector,” Horgan said.
The grant will allow the organization to improve the physical environment, as its Eastham center approaches 30 years old, Horgan said.
“Half of our center is brand new and is a well-maintained building, but we also have a portion of the building that is 30 years old,” Horgan said. “This will allow us to upgrade the older part of the building and we have been instructed to start work by March 2024.”
Capital grants support major renovation and construction projects to expand capacity and improve the quality of learning environments for children.
Early Learning Grants provide between $200,000 and $500,000 to offset expenses incurred from January 1 to December 31, 2024, with a focus on health and safety, emergency repairs and accessibility modifications.
Early education grants are funded through the state’s capital budget and leverage private investments with matching funds. It is managed by the Department of Early Learning and Care in partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund, part of the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation.
Previously, the YMCA of Cape Cod used $1 million in early learning funds to build a new center by renovating space in the Hyannis Village Market.
Cape Cod Children’s Place has the capacity to serve up to 40 families. They currently serve approximately 30 families supporting children from six weeks old through children entering kindergarten. In addition, the organization provides family support services throughout the Cape and the Islands.
Rashik Tabassum Mujeeb writes about healthcare and education. Accessed at rmujib@capecodonline.com.
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