News

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA JULY 2020 – Since the COVID-19 crisis began in March, ParentChild+, a leading school readiness organization working in communities furthest from opportunity has rapidly adapted its model to meet the emergent needs of the families hardest hit by the crisis.  ParentChild+’s primary focus is eliminating the opportunity gap by working with families through 92 home visits that provide parents access to the information, skills, and materials they need to support their child’s school readiness.  Over the past five months, ParentChild+ has not only transitioned to virtual visits since Early Learning Specialists can no longer go into homes, but has also played in critical role in accessing food, household supplies, and technology/WiFi for families.  Because of the strong trust relationships Early Learning Specialists build with families, they are often the first people that families turn to for support with basic needs and they have embraced this additional role, working closely with ParentChild+’s North Carolina state director to connect families to critical community resources.

Thanks to United Way of Central Carolinas and the Foundation for the Carolinas, ParentChild+ has been awarded $35,000 from the COVID-19 Response Fund that will help ParentChild+ expand support for families and their Early Learning Specialists, as the program continues to enroll new families and expand the reach of both its virtual visits and its ability to support families’ growing needs as the health and economic crises continue.  The grant is based on the recommendations of the COVID-19 Response Fund Grants Committee comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders and was made possible by the generous support of government, corporate, and private donors.

ParentChild+’s North Carolina State Director Angela Drakeford said about receiving the grant, “We are extremely excited that we were able to receive emergency funding from this grant. It allows us to access and meet the PPE and technology needs of our families so that we can continue to serve above and beyond our early literacy scope during this time. In addition, as we are new to this area, it shows that our work with the underserved 2 and 3 year old children as they prepare for pre K is being recognized and appreciated.”

*Here is a video of the work ParentChild+ has done in North Carolina during this crisis.

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Media Contact:
Ricardo Abreu, ParentChild+ Development & Communications Assistant
Phone: 516.883.7480 Email: rabreu@parentchildplus.org

About ParentChild+
ParentChild+ focuses on bridging the opportunity gap by supporting school readiness for families living in communities furthest from opportunity. Through an international network of program sites, ParentChild+ works one-on-one with families to prepare children for school and life success. Highly trained Early Learning Specialists visit twice-weekly to model reading, conversation, and play activities designed to support parent-child interaction. Since 1965, ParentChild+ has been assisting local partners in replicating and expanding this proven program, supporting children on a path to equal possibilities from the start and strengthening families and communities. For more information please visit www.parentchildplus.org.