A grant from Early Learning Indiana will help the University of Notre Dame Robinson Community Learning Center expand its preschool program.
The grant is part of Early Learning Indiana’s Early Years Initiative, funded by Lilly Endowment.
A child’s brain develops most between birth and age three, and the neural pathways formed in these earliest years of life form the basis for future learning and development, according to Maureen Weber, Early Learning Indiana president and CEO.
“That’s why the work of organizations like Notre Dame’s Robinson Center is so critical,” Weber said in a press release. “Expanding the availability of high-quality early learning services is an important strategy for ensuring that more infants and toddlers have a foundation for a lifetime of learning.”
The Robinson Center will use the funding to open a second location at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church in South Bend. Funding will also support partnerships with local schools to support the expansion of their preschool programs.
The center serves 15 children from its current location along Eddy Street in South Bend. The program offers access to early intervention services for speech, language, vision and hearing, as well as kindergarten assessment and family supports.
“Our mission is to build bridges within our community,” Rev. Joel Moody, Sunnyside Presbyterian Church senior pastor, said. “Not only does this grant address an emergent need in South Bend, but it also allows the RCLC and Sunnyside to build infrastructure to continue serving families, regardless of socioeconomic status.”
Situated along Frances Street, the Sunnyside location will serve an additional 42 students with two preschool classrooms and one toddler classroom.
Indiana Youth Institute data indicates St. Joseph County has 14,919 children under the age of six. There are childcare seats for 7,541 children, underscoring the need for early childhood programming in the county.
The grant will also allow the center to assist parents and caregivers who want to become early childhood educators. The center will help them to navigate coursework and licensure.
According to Brighter Futures Indiana, there is a dwindling supply of qualified early childhood educators in Indiana. The shortfall is expected to top 9,000 statewide in the coming years.
“Unfortunately, demand for licensed early childhood educators routinely outstrips supply, leaving many children and families left out,” Jennifer Wittenbrink Ortega, RCLC early childhood program director, said. “This grant is an important first step in addressing this problem in our area.”
