PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT: The provisional grant for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services reserves $1,000,000 to build a new Early Childhood Programs Center, addressing a critical Island need – quality, affordable child care. Pursuant to the terms of a provisional grant, the Trustees agreed to assess the proposal again in six months to review updated estimated costs of construction, gauge the agency’s progress in gaining necessary permits and other government approvals and achieving fundraising goals.
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services estimates the new ECP Center will cost $4.28 million to complete. The organization has $1 million committed from private donors in addition to the $1 million now reserved from MVYouth. They are actively seeking the final $2.28 million needed for the project.
South Mountain Company has been retained to create a master plan for the entire MVCS campus, with the Early Childhood Programs Center constituting phase 1. The aging campus is 40 years old and overdue for renovations. The proposed ECP facility will house four classrooms: infant, younger toddler, older toddler and preschool/pre-kindergarten, adding 17 new full-time spots, allowing for a maximum of 65 children to be served daily, a 26% increase from their current capacity.
The Early Childhood Programs currently serve 48 children daily (3 months to 5 years old) in their childcare program; and administer the Head Start program, which provides home-based early intervention services; and the Family Center, a resource center for children and families housed off-campus in the Nathan Mayhew Center, in Vineyard Haven.
The Early Childhood Programs is the only NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accredited program on MV; the only center-based program offering infant care; the only program with state contracts to provide free & reduced breakfast, snack and lunch programs; the only center-based program open year-round - 52 weeks/year; the only program with income eligible spots; the only program that accepts State funded vouchers; the only program with spots for children with open cases with Department of Children & Families (DCF), state funded childcare to support children in foster care and families in need.