Georgetown United Way Receives $2.6 Million Education Grant
Congressman Brown Applauds 'Early Reading First' Program
Washington,
Sep 1 -
Georgetown County United Way has received a grant for $2,650,870 through the U.S. Department of Education’s Early Reading First Program. Congressman Henry E. Brown, Jr. (SC-01) said, “I congratulate the Georgetown County United Way and the numerous groups that have joined forces to improve the school readiness of our young children.”
“We have such a great program here and this is going to make such a difference,” said Pat Strickland, President of Georgetown County United Way. “This funding will allow us to take a proven program and expand it further for the children of Georgetown and Hemingway counties.” Congressman Brown noted, “By taking preschool programs and turning them into centers of excellence, we are responding to the needs of our at-risk children.”
Included in the coalition are First Steps of Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties, Little Smurfs Child Care Center, and the Georgetown and Williamsburg County School Districts. The grant will allow them to implement Building Literacy Opportunities for Coastal Kindergartens (BLOCK). According to a synopsis of their grant application, BLOCK’s efforts will focus on ensuring that students in the rural, poverty-stricken area of coastal South Carolina receive the types of enhanced learning opportunities that will lead to future academic success.