News

NEW YORK January 2017 – The Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP), a leading early literacy/school readiness organization focused on ensuring that parents have access to the knowledge, skills, and materials they need to build their children’s school readiness announced that it has appointed Malkia Singleton Ofori-Agyekum as Pennsylvania Program Director. Reporting to the PCHP National Office in Garden City, New York, and working with three other State Program Directors based in New York, Washington, and Massachusetts, Ms. Ofori-Agyekum will be responsible for supporting the quality implementation of PCHP in its nine sites across Pennsylvania, and its expansion.  Ms. Ofori-Agyekum joins PCHP after more than 15 years of professional experience in non-profit leadership, early childhood education, and working with families facing challenging circumstances.

PCHP is also excited to announce the formation of the Parent-Child Home Program Philadelphia/PA Advisory Council. The Advisory Council, with its deep expertise in the region, education, families and young children, advocacy, and strategic partnerships, will provide critical support to the Parent-Child Home Program as it expands the Program in Philadelphia and then across the state.  With the support of the Advisory Council, Pennsylvania Program Director, Ms. Ofori-Agyekum, will focus on furthering PCHP’s mission of providing low-income families with the skills and tools needed to ensure their children reach their greatest potential in school and life.  PCHP recently announced its launch in Philadelphia as the GreenLight Fund’s fourth portfolio organization, with critical additional support from the Philadelphia Housing Authority, PHMC, the Vanguard Capital for Kids Program, and the William Penn Foundation. With the support of Ms. Ofori-Agyekum and the PCHP staff at PHMC, the Program has begun to work with families in both North and Southwest Philadelphia.

“We are thrilled that Malkia is joining our organization. She brings great experience in both the early childhood education and non-profit sectors.” said Sarah Walzer, Chief Executive Officer of The Parent-Child Home Program.  Malkia has worked for many years with children and families experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania and Maryland.  We are certain that with her leadership and the support of the Philadelphia/PA Advisory Council, PCHP’s sites in Pennsylvania will make an even stronger impact within their communities and expand to work with even more families.”

The Advisory Council is made up of individuals from the corporate, education, government, and non-profit sectors. These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and partnerships that will greatly enhance the work that PCHP is doing in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.  PCHP is proud to announce the following individuals as its inaugural Philadelphia/PA Advisory Council:

Darnetta Arce, Executive Director, Brewerytown Sharswood NAC
Carol Austin, Executive Director, Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children
Jenny Bogoni, Executive Director, READ! by 4^th Campaign
Donna Bullock, State Representative, 195th Legislative District
Joy Diljon, Executive Director PreK Head Start, School District of Philadelphia
Anne Gemmel, Director of Family Learning, Office of Adult Education
Vofee Jabateh, Executive Director, African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA)
Judy Johnson, Director of Programs, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians
Jennifer Kampmann, Learning Consultant/SBV Sr. Relationship Manager, Vanguard
Meredith Matone, Deputy Director of PolicyLab, PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Mary Mavis, President, Mavis and Company LLC
Natalie Renew, Managing Director, ECE, Public Health Management Corporation
Nefertiri Sickout, Assistant Diversity Officer for Research and Policy, Mayor’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Mary Strasser, Acting Director, Pre-K Initiative, Mayor’s Office of Education
Dr. Sara Shuman, Promotora Program Director, Puentes de Salud
Joe Willard, VP of Policy, People’s Emergency Center
Maria Walker, Program Director, Drexel University, University and Community Partnerships
Oni Richards-Waritay, Director, African Family Health Organization (AFAHO)
Omar Woodard, Executive Director, GreenLight Fund Philadelphia
 
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 children ages two to four 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 five decades of research demonstrates that PCHP increases parent-child interaction, improves children’s performance on school readiness and third grade 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.