<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4NzJ3W_0wCXliWh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4NzJ3W_0wCXliWh00" width="700" height="350" ><figcaption>Early Years Indiana shares their mission statement, courtesy of their website.</figcaption></figure>WARSAW — Early Learning Indiana announced today that two organizations in Kosciusko County are among the 68 community organizations that have joined the Early Years Initiative, receiving a total of $23 million in grants to help them meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers and surround Hoosier families with the resources to capitalize on the opportunities for learning that occur from birth to age 3.The two Kosciusko County organizations are Launchpad, which was awarded $183,100, and Lakeland Christian Academy, which was awarded $500,000.This is the second round of grants in the Early Years Initiative, which began in 2023 and is made possible by $60 million in grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. The goal of the initiative is to ensure Indiana’s infants and toddlers develop the foundational knowledge and skills needed to support their future learning and development.In total, the initiative has awarded 154 grants to 133 organizations. Among other outcomes, grants are supporting the creation of more than 2,700 child care seats.“Research is clear that a child’s brain develops most between birth and age 3 and that the neural pathways formed in these earliest years of life form the basis for all future learning and development,” said Maureen Weber, president &amp; CEO of Early Learning Indiana. “That’s why the work of the Early Years Initiative is so critical. We must ensure supportive environments and responsive interactions between infants and toddlers and their caregivers to set the trajectory for their overall development and lifelong learning.”All Early Years Initiative work is designed to strengthen foundational learning and development, but programs and projects are as varied as the needs of the young children they serve. They fall under four strategic priorities:<ul><li>Parenting Preparation and Support — Strengthening families through home visiting and parent education programs.</li><li>Child Care Access and Effectiveness — Ensuring access to supportive child care.</li><li>Early Detection and Intervention — Supporting the early detection of developmental.</li><li>needs or disabilities and implementing responsive interventions</li><li>Early Language and Literacy — Promoting essential skills through early language strategies.</li></ul>“The environment and experiences of a child’s first three years of life substantially influence cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. What young children experience in those formative years can affect academic success and quality of life throughout their lives,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are enthusiastic about the potential impact these programs will have on children and their families across Indiana.”One organization that is expanding its reach through the initiative is Foundation for Better Health. A 2023 grantee in the initiative, the organization in southwestern Indiana has used funding to expand its Pre to 3 program to an additional 250 Vanderburgh County families. The program provides regular free home visits from a dedicated community health worker during pregnancy and until the child turns three. For families that do not speak English as a first language, the goal is to match them with a community health worker that speaks the family’snative language.“Our program is integrated into the community,” said Lynn Herr, Vanderburgh County Health Department director of clinical and outreach division. “We have built strong partnerships with local birthing centers, and we’re all working together to improve infant mortality rates. I couldn’t be prouder of this program and the families in it who are working so hard to improve the lives of children.”Organizations participating in the Early Years Initiative include social service providers, faithbased organizations, community foundations, United Ways, child care providers, school districts, higher education institutions and other not-for-profit organizations in 80 counties in Indiana.Learn more about the initiative and its success at EarlyYearsInitiative.org.</div></body>

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Kosciusko organizations receive funding for programs to boost early learning for Indiana children

WARSAW — Early Learning Indiana announced today that two organizations in Kosciusko County are among the 68 community organizations that have joined the Early Years Initiative, receiving a total of $23 million in grants to help them meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers and surround Hoosier families with the resources to capitalize on the opportunities for learning that occur from birth to age 3.