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Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. announced on Friday that the Territory has received $664,277 in federal grant funding to improve programs and services that assist young children and their families. The funding was authorized under the Improving Head Start Act of 2007 and became available through The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The total award represents a $500,000 allotment, plus an additional supplemental award of $164,277 that was applied for and granted.
The over half-million dollar award will be disbursed over a three-year period to the Governor's Children and Families Council, as chaired by First Lady Cecile de Jongh, and is specifically designated to facilitate the work of the Council’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee (ECAC). The mission of the ECAC is to develop a high-quality, coordinated, sustainable system of supports and services for young children and their families so all children begin school safe, healthy, and ready to succeed.
The ECAC, with interagency representation, was established through the Governor’s Executive Order and has initiated planning efforts to develop a coordinated delivery system of services across various government and non-government departments and agencies. This award will help facilitate activities designed to promote healthy birth outcomes, increase the knowledge and expertise of a qualified workforce, improve the quality of early childhood programs, as well as increase the public’s awareness of how to promote young children’s optimal health and development. These efforts will further progress the administration’s efforts to provide important high quality early education and care experiences for our youngest residents.
“There is a defined and distinct correlation between children’s academic progress and their participation in high quality early care and educational programs. With this grant award, the Territory is able to take one more step towards continuing to provide a concrete foundation for all Virgin Islands children today and in future generations. Our interest is in making sure that we are able to provide the best possible early educational and healthcare services for all children so that they are able to succeed academically and socially later in life,” Governor de Jongh said.
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