Community Foundation of North Louisiana brings people and resources together to solve problems and enhance our community. In January of 2021, CFNLA set out to raise $1 million to fund spaces for Caddo Parish children ages 0 to 4 to attend quality early childhood education centers. We are delighted to report that $1 million has been raised!
Why did we raise $1 million for Early Childhood Education?
- All children ages 0 to 4, regardless of income level, deserve equal access to quality early childcare and education.
- 90% of brain development occurs before children reach the age of 5.
- 60% of children in Caddo Parish are not kindergarten ready when they start kindergarten.
- Working parents need childcare.
- Early Childcare Centers are local businesses that suffered financial losses due to COVID-19 and the decrease in enrollment during 2020.
- The Louisiana State Legislature started an early childhood fund that will provide a dollar-for-dollar match to the funds raised thus resulting in $2 million for Caddo Parish!
How will the funds be spent?
The funds raised locally will be used to provide scholarships to children ages 0 to 4 to attend Type III Early Childhood Centers. This funding will enable up to 200 more children in Caddo Parish to attend Type III Centers. (Notably, in the fall of 2019 there were 188 children on the waitlist to receive similar funding through the state’s CCAP program.)
Thank you to all donors to CFNLA’s Early Childhood Education Fund!
This could not have been accomplished without the many generous donors who have contributed to CFNLA’s Early Childhood Education Fund (a list of donor’s is provided here: cfnla.org/caddo/)! CFNLA thanks you for entrusting your generous donations to the ECE Fund and for all you do for our community!
This article was written by CFNLA CEO Kristi Gustavson and originally published in the Shreveport Times on June 12, 2021.