$64K grant expands Family Enrichment Center program
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) — A $64,603 grant from Kosair for Kids will help Family Enrichment Center expand its Parents as Teachers program and reach more children and families through Wee Care Childcare Center.
The funding will support a full-time staff member dedicated to the program, which works with families from pregnancy until a child enters kindergarten.
More support for families
Samantha Berry, assistant director at Family Enrichment Center, said the grant will allow the organization to build on services already being offered at Wee Care.
Several educators and family coaches have been helping at the childcare center, but the new funding will create a dedicated position for the program.
“It’s been really successful. Really great. We’ve had great responses,” Berry said. “And with this, we’re able to really just expand on that and have a dedicated person for this role.”
Berry said having one person focused on the program will give families a more consistent point of contact and allow staff to monitor developmental milestones more regularly.
What Parents as Teachers does
The program is designed to meet families where they are and tailor support to their needs.
Berry said that can include helping families prepare for a new baby, work through picky eating or adjust a child’s routine when something changes at home.
Families can also take part in home visits, group events and developmental screenings, while staff help connect them with community resources.
Why early intervention matters
Berry said supporting families early can help reduce stress and give parents more tools to understand their child’s development.
“We know that if we can provide supports to families early on, that they are equipped with the tools to know what milestones that their children should be meeting,” Berry said. “We help lessen the stress in that family.”
She said the goal is to reach families before problems escalate.
“If we can intervene early, get resources into home before neglect or abuse ever occurs. That’s the goal,” Berry said.
Grant could double reach
Family Enrichment Center currently serves about 30 children each year through its childcare center.
Berry said the organization hopes to grow that number to between 60 and 80 children in the Barren River Area with the help of the new funding.
Children already enrolled at Wee Care will benefit from the grant, while the broader Parents as Teachers program also has room for pregnant mothers and families with children who have not yet entered kindergarten.
Berry said the larger goal is to help families feel supported and more confident in their role as their child’s first teacher.
“We want everybody to live in a community where we’re supporting one another and where we really have that village mentality of helping each other,” Berry said.
