Napa Valley Register-Child Start receives $1.4 million federal grant

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Thompson announced a $1,411,750 Department of Health and Human Services grant to Napa County's Child Start.

The goal of the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant is to expand high quality early learning opportunities for Napa and Solano Counties' most vulnerable infants and toddlers.

The grant will be used to form collaborative partnerships between Child Start and local child care programs like Napa Valley Adult Education's Teen Parent Program and Solano Community College Children's Programs.

"These funds will help parents and their children get the care and education they need to be successful and pursue their career goals," said Thompson. "Everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from deserves an equal opportunity to succeed and this grant will help our great community organizations make that happen."

"This grant will empower Child Start to build on long-standing community relationships and work with local child care providers to address the desperate need for high quality care for infants and toddlers in Napa and Solano Counties," said Debbie Peralez, executive director for Child Start. "We look forward to strengthening these partnerships and continuing to lay a foundation for success for our community's at-risk children."

Rhonda Slota, principal at Napa Valley Adult Education, said the grant would create "new opportunities to collaborate with Child Start to enhance the quality of our infant/toddler center and provide services needed to support young parents in completing their education and career development, and realizing their dreams."