The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation Provides Grant to Support Child Crisis Arizona’s New Early Head Start Program
(PHOENIX – June 22, 2017) – The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation provided Child Crisis of Arizona with a $50,000 grant in an effort to support the organization’s expansion of its Early Head Start Program. The program’s new location, 817 N. Country Club Drive in Mesa, Ariz., celebrated its grand opening in April 2017 and serves 112 children up to 3-years-old in center-based and home-based models.
“Sadly, in Maricopa County, few children receive the measurable and positive benefits of early education programs, an issue that is especially prevalent in lower-income level groups,” says Andrew Bridge, director of the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation. “This grant supports Child Crisis of Arizona’s endeavor to expand its Early Head Start Program, providing impactful educational services to a larger number of children and parents within our community.”
This expansion is comprised of two different programs to assist the needs of children and parents in one of seven pockets of poverty in Mesa wherein 47 to 68 percent live below the Federal Poverty Level.
The center-based program consists of six new classrooms offering a full day of care for up to 48 children with parents who are working or in school. In the home-based program, which accommodates 64 children, specially trained Child Crisis Arizona staff visit parents who have children at home to provide them with tools, support and guidance for their child’s development.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generous support from the Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation,” said Torrie Taj, chief executive officer of Child Crisis Arizona. “This expansion has allowed for us to develop an early education program that is an essential mix of both center-based and home-based services, a combination that has been found to be most effective and creating positive outcomes for children and families.”
Early Head Start is a federally funded, community-based program for low-income families. Children experience consistent, nurturing relationships and stable, ongoing routines while families receive guidance and connections to other community services, as needed. According to the National Head Start Association, advantages to children that participate in Head Start and Early Head Start appear immediately, last a lifetime, and even have an effect on other generations.
In addition to the new Mesa program, Child Crisis Arizona also operates and Early Head Start Program in Phoenix, which has a five-star rating from First Things First, as well as a preschool program for children ages 3 to 5.
For more information about Child Crisis of Arizona’s early education services, visit https://childcrisisaz.org/what-we-do/education-and-tools-for-families/preschool-program/.
About Child Crisis Arizona
Child Crisis Arizona’s vision is safe kids and strong families. We operate the Valley’s only Emergency Children’s Shelter Program for young children who have experienced abuse and neglect. As one of the largest foster care and adoption programs, we license, train and certify individuals and families to find homes for the nearly 17,000 Arizona children in foster care. We create strong and successful families through our Home Visitation, Counseling and Family Education programs and workshops. With a recent expansion of our Early Education Services, we now serve more than 200 low-income children in Phoenix and Mesa. There are many opportunities to get involved through volunteering, financial support and advocacy.
