Grant money awarded to area child-care centers

More than half of all children under age 5 in Trumbull and Mahoning counties have two parents who work.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — The Raymond John Wean Foundation has awarded grants to 13 early child-care centers in the Mahoning Valley totaling $92,377.

More than 30,000 children under age 5 reside in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, with 60 percent of them living in homes where both parents work.

For that reason, the Warren-based foundation said it has focused on day cares since 2003.

The grants will help the centers make changes to meet the criteria of Step Up To Quality, a voluntary Ohio child-care quality rating system developed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Leah Brooks, development director of the YWCA of Youngstown, said her day care will use the grant to help invest in the teachers as a way to “invest in the future.”

Brooks said the center works hard to be affordable to parents, but there isn’t enough money to send teachers to education classes.

The grant will help to aid in those efforts.

The child-care centers awarded grants by the Foundation service 975 children.

The Wean Foundation was created by Warren industrialist Raymond John “Jack” Wean in 1949 with assets of more than $80 million.

Annually, the foundation gives about $4 million to nonprofit organizations with a majority of those funds earmarked for nonprofit organizations in Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Centers receiving grants:

UBear Hugs Child Care and Preschool, Struthers, $12,000

UBoardman United Methodist Preschool, Youngstown, $12,000

UDiscover My World Inc., Boardman, $1,000

UEaster Seals of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, Youngstown, $5,000

UHeart Reach Ministries Inc., Youngstown, $5,000

UHillyer Children’s Center, Warren, $5,000

UJewish Community Center, Youngstown, $8,625

UMillcreek Children’s Center, Youngstown, $5,000

UNew Life Christian Preschool, Poland, $5,000

USt. Paul’s Child Care Center, New Middletown, $3,754

USt. Rose Child Care Center, Girard, $15,000

UYWCA of Youngstown, Youngstown, $12,000

UZieglers Daycare, Orwell, $2,998