By RODNEY HART
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
The West Central Child Care Connection gave its Quality Counts Partner Award Thursday to the Grand Victoria Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area during a luncheon at the Town and Country Inn in Quincy.
It's only the third time the award has been given. The two groups helped arrange a three-year, $54,000 grant to the WCCCC to mentor 54 licensed family child care providers in Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike counties. The WCCCC then leveraged another $84,000 in additional funding.
"After providers have gone through the mentoring, they've remarked that it's really changed things," WCCCC Agency Director Karen Points said.
Each provider received eight hours of on-site mentoring and a resource investment to purchase needed equipment. One of the things each provider is given is a "Green Book," which has specific categories the provider can rate themselves on.
"That way, they can see where they stand," Points said.
About 350 children initially benefitted from the mentoring program, Points said.
Based in Chicago, the Grand Victoria Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in Illinois whose efforts expand educational opportunities for children, boost the economic vitality of cities and regions, and improve the health of the environment.
The grant was administered by the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area. Formed in 1999, the Community Foundation has awarded more than 900 grants totaling more than $1.37 million to area nonprofit organizations.
The West Central Child Care Connection works with parents, child care providers, businesses and community organizations to promote quality child care services in the area. It provides parents with referrals, resources and assistance in paying for child care for those income eligible.
The WCCCC offers child care providers access to training, support services, funding opportunities and lending library resources.
-- rhart@whig.com/221-3370
