WCPC Awarded Ribbon of Hope Grant
The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation has awarded $50,000 through its Ribbon of Hope Grant to Wilkes Community Partnership for Children for the Wilkes County Kindergarten Readiness Initiative.
This grant will fund programs aimed at promoting kindergarten readiness among preschool-aged children in Wilkes County. Wilkes Community Partnership for Children will establish six regional sites for a program aimed at serving families of three- and four-year-old children. This program, called Ready, Set, Learn, is a half-day program for parents and caregivers to participate in with their children as they learn about kindergarten readiness. This program will be free to all participating families, and each family will receive a toolkit of free resources and training to promote kindergarten readiness at home.
The Ribbon of Hope Grant also supports Camp Jump Start, which is a summer program for parents and caregivers of children entering kindergarten. Camp Jump Start will take place in eight Wilkes County elementary schools in the summer of 2024. This free program will be a fun time for families and children to come to their local school, meet the school administrators, and learn about how children can be ready to succeed when they enter kindergarten.
Wilkes Community Partnership for Children Executive Director, Michelle Shepherd, stated, “Our hope is to provide early education opportunities to all children who are not currently being served in any early education program. The beauty of this program is watching caregivers learn alongside their child and use the resources and skills in their homes. We are thrilled the NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation has invested in Wilkes County’s greatest asset: the children.”
The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation is an independent self-funding 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supporting activities that help meet the educational and health needs of today's society and future generations. Since its creation in 1986, the foundation has granted over $88 million to support North Carolina projects and programs that emphasize the understanding and application of science, health, and education at all academic and professional levels. Visit us at NCGSKFoundation.org for more information. The NC GlaxoSmithKline award in Wilkes County will fund a program that seeks to help Wilkes County preschool children gain the tools they need to be ready for kindergarten. This generous grant from The NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation will be matched by an anonymous donor committed to Wilkes Community Partnership for Children’s Kindergarten Readiness Initiative.