The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation’s Even Start Program was notified recently it was the recipient of a $15,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The grant will be used to fund two staff members for childhood classrooms for children ages six weeks to three years. This is the third year the EVSC Even Start Program has received a grant from Dollar General and it was the only site in Indiana to receive a Family Literacy Grant from Dollar General this year.
“This grant and others like it are vital as they allow us to continue our mission to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving educational opportunities for low income families,†said Emma Jean Couture, Even Start director. Federal Funding for the Even Start program has ended, but Couture said the need for service continues. “With this grant, we will be able to hire two additional teachers, allowing us to serve more children.â€
The EVSC’s Even Start Program, which is entering its 16th year, focuses on children ages zero to three and their families and works to engage parents to help them develop skills necessary to help their children succeed. Not only are families taught nurturing skills, parents are taught how to help their children develop language and learning skills so they are prepared for school. In addition, Even Start assists parents in identifying development delays and connects families to services that are vital for these children to enter school on an “even start†with their peers.
