| MPP
Arnott Announces $42,885 for New Early Years Program
in Elora
Waterloo-Wellington
MPP Ted Arnott today announced that Elora Cooperative
Preschool Inc. will receive $42,885 from the Early Years
Challenge Fund to operate the “Grand Beginnings” project
for children and families in Elora.
The
project creates a positive and caring environment for
children through a number of different programs. It
includes a weekend drop-in program to help fathers spend
time with their children, an early literacy program,
and a physical activity program. The Grand Beginnings
project involves a local school board, public health
unit and child care centre.
“Everyone
in our community must be involved in providing the best
start in life for our children,” said Mr. Arnott. “These
new programs offered by Elora Cooperative Preschool
will help ensure that more children in our community
reach their full potential. I want to compliment their
staff and volunteers on the great work that they do.”
The
Ontario Early Years Challenge Fund was launched in December
2000. The fund matches financial and in-kind contributions
from businesses, charities and other sectors in the
community for creative proposals for programs aimed
at helping children develop successfully during their
first six years of life. The funds raised by the community
are matched dollar for dollar by the provincial government,
for up to half the value of the projects.
In
1998, the Ontario government commissioned the Early
Years Study which found that the years before six are
critical to a child’s lifelong health and well being.
The Challenge Fund is part of the Early Years Plan,
a multi-million dollar strategy that acts upon the Early
Years Study’s findings.
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