Dayton Reporter

Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) has announced that Miami Valley Child Development Centers (MVCDC) has been awarded over $2.5 million in federal funds. The funds will be used to provide child care subsidies to children from low-income families in Turner's district.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services' Fiscal Year 2023 Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) grant program. MVCDC, which serves over 2,500 families, will use the funds to partner with school districts and operate state Early Childhood Education programs.

In a statement, Congressman Turner expressed his support for MVCDC's work: "Miami Valley Child Development Centers has been serving low-income children and families since the inception of Head Start, and I am glad that they have received these federal funds to continue as the Dayton area's grantee for this essential program. MVCDC's work is critical to ensuring that young people in our community get a great start in life and can begin kindergarten on track. This grant will make certain that MVCDC has the resources they need to improve the lives of families and children in the Miami Valley."

MVCDC is the largest Head Start provider in the Dayton area, serving over 2,500 families annually. The organization takes a holistic approach to working with each child and family, focusing on parent involvement, health, nutrition, social competency, literacy, and numeracy development.

This is not the first time MVCDC has received funding for expansion. In the past, they were awarded $9 million by the national Office of Head Start to consolidate and expand services at a new early learning center in a historically under-resourced neighborhood in East Dayton.

The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) initiative, which MVCDC is a part of, combines the best of Early Head Start and child care. It provides comprehensive and continuous services to low-income infants, toddlers, and their families, preparing them for the transition into Head Start and preschool.

Congressman Turner has been a strong supporter of MVCDC in the past. In 2018, he wrote a letter in support of their successful $25 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. MVCDC received the initial installment of the grant in August 2018 and the balance of the award in September 2023.

The federal funding awarded to MVCDC will help ensure that children from low-income families in the Miami Valley receive the support they need to succeed. By partnering with school districts and operating state Early Childhood Education programs, MVCDC will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of families and children in the Dayton area.

To find out more, go to this link: https://turner.house.gov/2024/1/turner-announces-over-2-5-million-in-federal-funding-for-miami-valley-child-development-centers