News

Springfield, MA, July 22, 2013 – The Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP) has received a two-year, $150,000 grant from The Funder Collaborative for Reading Success, which provides funding in support of Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade, to expand the proven parenting, early literacy, and school readiness program. These funds will enable the Springfield Parent-Child Home Program to double the size of the program, reaching 35 new families from its waiting list.

“PCHP envisions a world where every child enters school ready to succeed because every parent has the knowledge and resources to build school readiness where it starts: the home,” said MA PCHP Coordinator, Carol Rubin. “We are so grateful for The Funder Collaborative’s support and recognition of the important role that early in-home support programs, like PCHP, play in later school success.”

Currently, only 40% of Springfield’s children read at grade level by the end of third grade. Springfield PCHP, partnered with the Read! Reading Success by 4th Grade initiative, will be working towards the goal of 80% reading proficiency by the year 2016, as measured by third grade MCAS results.

“Over the next two years, these 35 families will receive 92 visits by highly trained community-based early literacy specialists, 46 books and educational toys, and the skills and encouragement to engage their children in learning and literacy activities at home, so they will be successful when they get to the classroom,” said Cindy Stovall, Coordinator of the Springfield PCHP. “PCHP has been working with families in Springfield for over a decade and I can say with confidence that participating in this proven program will put these children, their families, and the Springfield community, on the path to success.”

In addition to bringing PCHP to more under-resourced families, this grant will support the Literacy Van which delivers books, educational toys, and activities, as well as community information to families in Reed Village and Moxon Housing, Forest Park, Maple High-Six Corners, Old Hill, Bay, Memorial Square, Brightwood, and Indian Orchard throughout the summer months.

Springfield PCHP, which has served over 500 families since 2000, is one of nine early literacy and learning programs receiving support from the Funder Collaborative. The Collaborative, a broad coalition of leaders in education, child development, business, philanthropy, and government, includes Baystate Health, the Berkshire Bank Foundation, Babson Capital Management LLC, the Beveridge Family Foundation, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Hampden Bank, the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, MassMutual Life Insurance, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Peoples United Bank Foundation, SIS Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, and the United Way of Pioneer Valley.

About The Parent-Child Home Program: PCHP is a national early childhood literacy, parenting, and school readiness program. The evidence-based Program effectively bridges the achievement gap for underserved children through intensive home visiting (twice a week over a two-year period) with 2- 4-year-olds and their parents. Trained Early Learning Specialists model reading, play, and conversation activities using books and educational toys that are gifts to the family. Over four decades of research shows that PCHP increases parent-child interaction, improves children’s performance on IQ and school readiness assessments, and increases high school graduation rates by 30% – to the same level as middle class students. To learn more about PCHP’s history, please visit our website: www.parent- child.org. To learn more about Springfield PCHP please visit: www.springfieldfamilysupport.org

Media Contact: Cindy Stovall, Springfield PCHP Coordinator, 413-733-7699 spfldfsc@verizon.net 

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