Thursday, August 30, 2012
Helping provide early education
opportunities to children in Martin County is one of United Way’s main focus areas.Gertrude Walden Childcare Center, a United Way funded agency in East Stuart, has had a waiting list for enrollment for the past five years, but not this school year thanks to a one-time grant of $17,000 from the United Way of Martin County Foundation.
"Investing in affordable, quality child care services such as those provided by the Gertrude Walden Child Care Center is an important stepping stone for achieving success in school and in life,” said Jim Vojcsik, executive director for United Way of Martin County. "We lift our community when everyone has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.”
The grant allows Gertrude Walden Childcare Center to serve 40 more children – a 30 percent increase in enrollment – raising its capacity to 138 children ages 14 months old to 4 years old.
"This is the first time in our 40-year history we started the school year with an enrollment of more than 100 students,” said Thelma Washington, executive director at Gertrude Walden Childcare Center. "Our waiting list had grown to 40 children and it was getting to the point where parents are anxiously awaiting for the termination or removal of students just so that their children could get in.”
Washington recognized the dire need for more classrooms and she knew that securing the funding for a capital expense such as a building was a major obstacle given the down economy, but to her surprise, the timing was impeccable.
As it turned out, the Martin County School District no longer had any use for one of its adult education portable classrooms in East Stuart, however, it had to be completely retrofitted before Gertrude Walden Childcare Center could serve the 40 extra children all eager to start their education.
The United Way of Martin County Foundation board of directors saw the new addition as the perfect opportunity to help both present and future generations of children in East Stuart – many of which are economically disadvantaged – get a much-needed head start with their education.
The grant was used for renovations required to convert the portable into two voluntary prekindergarten education classrooms that were completed at a fraction of the cost with help from Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, also a United Way affiliated agency.
"Our new building has completely eliminated our waiting list,” Washington said. "This solid foundation and equal start will have a lasting effect on our students as it will provide all students entering kindergarten with world experiences, not just word experiences.”
United Way of Martin County Foundation board members and United Way of Martin County staff recently joined the Gertrude Walden Childcare Center board of directors and staff during a special dedication ceremony at the new classroom, aptly named The Washington Center for Excellence at Gertrude Walden Childcare Center.
Visit www.GertrudeWalden.org for more information about Gertrude Walden Childcare Center.
PHOTO PROVIDED
PHOTO CAPTION: United Way of Martin County Foundation board members and United Way of Martin County staff recently joined the Gertrude Walden Childcare Center board of directors and staff for a special dedication ceremony. From left, Scott Wade, Justin Beard, Nancy Perry, Kelly Johnson, Nancy Kline, Rachel Scott, Thelma Washington, Wendie Berardi, Thomas Thurlow, III, Lucy Corley, Philip Harvey, Theresa Schineis and Karen Reinhardt.
