Kalamazoo County Ready 4s awarded $300,000 grant from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation for high-quality Pre-K program
Kalamazoo, MI, March 26, 2013 – Kalamazoo County Ready 4s (KC Ready 4s) will receive a $300,000 grant from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation to help develop a system of high-quality pre-kindergarten for every 4-year-old in the county.
KC Ready 4s’ goal — to improve kindergarten readiness — is being achieved by helping private and public pre-kindergarten providers to reach standards of high quality, increase access for all families by providing tuition assistance based on family income and following a sliding fee scale, improve diversity in the classrooms, and build a sustainable system.
“The Kalamazoo Community Foundation is making such a wonderful gift to Kalamazoo County communities, and we are very grateful for their willingness to invest in the continued expansion of KC Ready 4s. A child is only 4 once, and it is our goal to ensure that every 4-year-old in the county has the means to attend high-quality pre-kindergarten,” said Sandy Standish, KC Ready 4s’ Executive Director.
This grant from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation will allow KC Ready 4s to move closer to its goal of developing a sustainable pre-kindergarten system. Each year, the number of enrolled children will continue to increase, along with the number of providers who reach high-quality.
Through this important and life-changing work, barriers that now prevent pre-kindergarten participation will be eliminated, Standish said.
# # #
About the Organizations
Kalamazoo County Ready 4s
Kalamazoo County Ready 4s is a community-designed organization focused on helping local public and private pre-kindergarten programs reach high quality; offering tuition assistance to qualifying families so they can afford to enroll their 4-year-olds in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs; and building a sustainable pre-kindergarten program for all 4-year-olds in Kalamazoo County. Our goal is to ensure that every 4-year-old, without exception, has the opportunity to attend a high-quality pre-kindergarten program. The impact of this initiative on our community is profound: Pre-kindergarten is essential to success in school – and life. Read more at www.kcready4s.org.
Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Founded in 1925, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation makes life better for all through leadership and stewardship of resources that last forever. The Community Foundation works strategically to address existing and emerging community needs in the areas of Early Childhood Learning and School Readiness, Economic and Community Development, Individuals and Families, and Youth Development. Read more at http://www.kalfound.org.
