Latest news with #EarlyChildhoodEducatorRetentionAwards
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ECGRA, Erie County invest nearly $1 million to address shortage of early childhood educators
The Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority awarded nearly $1 million in grants May 22 to help 59 child care providers recruit and retain qualified educators. ECGRA Executive Director Perry Wood said the grants ― the Early Childhood Educator Retention Awards ― serve to boost a vital sector in Erie County that's long been underfunded and understaffed. 'According to Start Strong PA, there are currently 93 unfilled early childhood educator positions in Erie County. If filled, these roles could serve 744 more children,' Wood said at a check presentation Thursday at St. Martin Early Learning Center. 'That's why these grants are so important. They represent a crucial step forward in supporting the dedicated professionals who care for and educate our young learners.' The $991,785 in grants were funded by a $2.5 million investment of American Rescue Plan funds from Erie County government. ECGRA has also provided a $2.5 million match in gaming revenue for a collective $5 million child care investment. 'An investment in child care is an investment in workforce development ― that is economic development,' said Erie County Executive Brenton Davis. 'Without parents being able to become dual income families, we're unable to lift our community up the economic mobility ladder.' Thursday's investment represents the first phase of a broader, multi-step initiative to strengthen Erie County's early learning infrastructure, according to ECGRA. Kenya Johnson, owner of Learning Ladder Early Child Care, said the grants will have a 'real and meaningful' impact on her center, both in terms of retaining quality teachers and giving them some much-needed recognition. 'For many of them, this extra income will make a difference in their personal lives ― paying bills, putting gas in their car, covering groceries and that all matters,' she said. 'But beyond the money, it's the message that came with it. That message says: We see you, we appreciate you and we want to keep you here doing what you do best.' Asha Graeb, director of the St. Martin Early Learning Center, added that early childhood educators often have limited support and resources despite the crucial role they play in a child's life. 'Our teachers work every day to create safe, nurturing environments where children can build confidence, spark curiosity and learn compassion,' she said. A Child's World Daycare & Learning; $23,683 Annie's Bubble Care; $6,459 Barb's Care A Lot; $19,377 Barbs Family Learning Group Daycare LLC; $6,459 Boro Babies Child Care Center; $9,689 Bright Horizons at Erie; $29,066 Corry Alliance Childcare Learning Center; $8,074 Creative Learning Childcare – iRock; $35,525 Cuddle Time Daycare; $1,077 Dr Gertrude Barber Corry; $12,918 Dr Gertrude Barber Happy Hearts; $46,290 Eagles Nest Group Daycare; $6,459 Early Connections City Center; $16,148 Early Connections Harbor Homes Early Learning Center; $6,459 Early Connections North East; $6,459 Early Connections Union City; $23,683 Early Learning Center; $19,377 Early Learning University; $24,760 Eastside YMCA; $33,372 Elk Valley Elementary YMCA; $9,689 EPS Pennbriar Childcare LLC; $16,417 Erie First Early Education Center; $11,303 Fit Kids; $10,227 Glenwood YMCA; $17,224 Growing and Learning Center; $43,060 Handled with Care; $37,678 I Love It Daycare Learning Center; $15,071 Javonne Beason; $1,077 Jumpstart Early Learning Center LLC; $6,459 KinderCare 1279; $8,612 Learning Ladder; $18,301 Little Explorers Christian Academy; $5,378 Lollipop U Daycare; $8,612 McKean Elementary YMCA; $2,153 Milestones Early Learning Academy; $13,995 Milestones Early Learning Center; $21,530 Miss Julies Childcare; $11,842 Miss Rose's Learning Center; $8,612 Montessori in the Woods; $9,150 My Terra Village; $4,844 New Horizons Early Learning Center; $10,750 Northwestern YMCA; $8,612 Playway Loving Childcare Center LLC; $5,383 Saint Benedict Center; $52,749 Saint Vincent Child Care Center; $34,448 South Hills Child Development Center; $37,139 St. Martin Early Learning Center; $76,432 St. Paul's Child Development Center; $24,760 Summit YMCA; $6,459 Teresa Jordan; $6,000 The International Institute of Erie; $10,765 Tracy Heutsche; $4,844 Twinkle Time Child Care Center; $5,921 Waterford YMCA; $10,765 Wattsburg Elementary YMCA; $9,688 World of Care; $12,918 YMCA Camp Sherwin; $2,153 YMCA of Corry Daycare; $47,366 Young Environment; $20,992 A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@ Follow him on X @ETNRao. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: 59 Erie County child care providers receive $1 million in grants
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
ECGRA invests in early childhood education, 59 centers awarded ARPA grants
Erie County is facing a shortage of early childhood educators, with 93 positions currently unfilled, which could provide care for an estimated 744 additional children if filled. To address this issue, the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) is launching a new initiative to recruit and retain early childhood education staff. This initiative is supported by $2.5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, aimed at bolstering local childcare providers. Multiple Erie elementary schools will receive filtered water stations thanks to donation 'This is a vital sector, one that supports working families, strengthens our economy, and nurtures the next generation but it remains underfunded,' said Perry Wood, Executive Director of ECGRA. ECGRA has recognized 59 local childcare centers with 'Early Childhood Educator Retention Awards,' distributing grants totaling over $900,000. These awards are part of the first phase of the initiative, which began on Thursday. Asha Graeb, Director of St. Martin Early Learning Center, expressed the importance of these grants, stating that early educators are asked to do much with limited resources and support. 'I feel our teachers deserve a living wage; they do so much for our working families,' Graeb said. Kenya Johnson, Director and Owner of The Learning Ladder Early Child Care Center, emphasized the essential role of childcare, equating its importance to that of elementary or high school education. 'We hope that today brings a light to everyone knowing how essential childcare is and how essential the educators are as well,' Johnson added. 'Seeds of Hope' event aims to raise awareness on women's health research The initiative is seen as a first step in creating sustainable childcare services for the community, with future phases expected to identify specific areas of need. The initiative by ECGRA is a significant move towards addressing the childcare crisis in Erie County, aiming to fill critical gaps in early childhood education staffing and improve support for local providers. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
