Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with South Side Learning & Development Center, dba SproutFive, a non-profit corporation to provide operational funding in support of their Family Resource Center.
Since 1922, the South Side Learning & Development Center, dba SproutFive, has provided exceptional early childhood education in Columbus, Ohio. The mission of SproutFive is to ensure every child benefits from a holistic, high-quality early education. SproutFive’s vision is that all children are given the opportunity to thrive during their first five years of life, ensuring that every child and teacher is supported in a community-based early childhood program.
This grant will provide direct support to SproutFive families struggling to make ends meet by relieving overdue childcare costs. Childcare costs have only become more burdensome to families, as relief that was available in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has evaporated. Low-income families faced childcare costs that had not been factored into their budgets during the years of the pandemic. This grant will support SproutFive’s “bridge fund” to remove the financial burden of overdue childcare costs and provide additional temporary relief to families in need of financial support as they seek employment.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Job Growth subfund.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with South Side Learning & Development Center, dba SproutFive, in support of their Family Resource Center; to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of $20,000.00 within the Job Growth subfund. ($20,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council seeks to promote financial stability and well-being for Columbus’ children and families; and
WHEREAS, Childcare is often a burdensome cost to families while also being completely necessary for parents’ career success and for children’s kindergarten readiness; and
WHEREAS...
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