Grants from the Fund for Early Childhood Care, Education & Development in the Greater Salina Community Foundation offer assistance to those working with pre-school children in Saline and Ottawa Counties.

Established in 2010 by Salinans Mark & Jane Berkley, grants are awarded through an annual application process. Special consideration is given to programs or organizations that work with children in poverty or with other significant barriers to learning. 2014 grants were awarded to:

$800 Minneapolis Public Library-to update preschool reading materials and puzzles, and to purchase additional motor skill supplies for the Lap Sit program offered in partnership with Parents as Teachers. The program encourages a love of reading and learning for infants through 4 years old in preparation for kindergarten.

$966 Saline County Health Department- to develop portable learning kits that will be available to childcare providers to check out and use in home childcare settings. Kits will focus on pre-kindergarten skills with regard to writing, environment, music, bubbles (science) and dinosaurs. Child Care Surveyors will be available to introduce the resources to the providers.

$1,000 Circles of the Heartland- to assist with staffing for the children’s preschool curriculum offered while parents are attending classes as a part of the Circles training.

$1,000 Smoky Hills Public Television- to support “Literacy Leadership for Kansas Children” which partners with Head Start programs to provide free books to low-income children, ages 0-8 in Saline County and Ottawa Counties.

$880 Salina Child Care Association- to allow classroom teachers to replace or purchase new materials to enhance pre-school education.

$700 St. Mary’s Grade School- to purchase Leap Pad tablets for preschool classrooms to include a multi-media component to the pre- kindergarten curriculum.

$925 Noah’s Ark Preschool- to purchase books and gross motor skill items for all children served, including those with disabilities.

Total $6,271