The Early Education Center and Incredible Years Preschool are benefitting from three grants that are earmarked for early intervention programs and playground enhancements. Both entities are owned and operated by Sunflower Diversified Services.
The Golden Belt Community Foundation (GBCF) awarded Sunflower $1,000, which was matched by a $1,000 Ross and Marianna Beach Grant.
“This $2,000 will be used to support our play groups and screenings for infants and toddlers,” said Cathy Estes, coordinator of the early ed center and the preschool. “The Beach Grant requires us to have the support of community resources, and once again, the Golden Belt Community Foundation came through for us.”
When the local grant was awarded, the Beaches matched it, Estes explained.
“Early intervention is so crucial,” Estes noted. “When we can discover speech, cognitive or social problems in the little ones ages birth to 3, we can provide services that at least alleviate, and in some cases, overcome the problem.
“Children who have early intervention oftentimes don’t need special education in school or tax-supported services in adulthood,” she added. “This is vital for children and their families, as well as the taxpayer.”
The GBCF awarded another grant to Incredible Years Preschool. This $1,500 is being used to buy and install playground mulch under the swing set.
“This provides just another safety measure for our active preschool children,” Estes said. “And again, our local community foundation deserves everyone’s gratitude.”
Christy Tustin, GBCF executive director, said that her organization believes Sunflower is a worthy beneficiary of these grants.
“We know that every grant the Golden Belt Community Foundation makes to Sunflower will be used to help many young children in our area,” Tustin commented. “Early Education Center staff members are dedicated to the children they serve and it shows in each grant request we receive.
“Participating in the challenge to help the local tiny-k network was a great opportunity to leverage our funding with that of the Beach Grant,” she added.
Sunflower’s early ed center is one of 37 tiny-k networks in Kansas serving children with disabilities and delays.
Sunflower serves infants, toddlers and adults with developmental disabilities and delays in Barton, Pawnee, Rice, Rush and Stafford counties. Incredible Years is open to any child.