Western Co-op Awards Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center $5,000 Sharing Success Grant
Western Cooperative Electric’s Sharing Success Fund has awarded a $5,000 grant to the Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center to help upgrade the outdoor play space to meet Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) regulation standards.
The new play equipment will directly help fulfill Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center’s (ECLC) mission to partner with our community to provide children a developmentally stimulating and culturally responsive experience to fulfill the social, emotional, and academic needs of each individual child by focusing on our core values.
“We just started the fundraising to improve our outdoor play space,” said Keri Whorton, ECLC Board Member and Fundraising Committee Chair. “Commercial quality play equipment based on KDHE standards can cost upwards of $100,000. It will take some time to reach our final goals, but Western’s grant will help us address our most immediate needs.”
Based on state regulations, childcare facilities should design playgrounds to develop self-esteem and positive self-image, social interaction skills, self-expression and communication skills, creative expression, large and small muscle skills, and intellectual growth.
In addition, the playground should allow all children ages to have outdoor experiences in parallel while not having to take turns to occupy the space.
“We appreciate Western Co-op’s grant to improve the outdoor play space for all the ECLC children,” Executive Director Meghan Goding said. “We still have a long way to go to reach our future goals, but it’s a great start.”
Since 2013, the Sharing Success program has donated nearly $100,000 to local non-profit organizations. Western’s Sharing Success grants are made possible, in part, through CoBank, which matches funds. In 2022, Western’s board of trustees approved $20,000 to be made available through a competitive grant process.
“Western Co-op is excited to help kick off the fundraising efforts for the Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center,” said Member Services Manager Nolan Numrich. “Our Sharing Success fund continues to be a great way of giving back to the communities we serve.”
Applications for the 2023 Sharing Success grant cycle will be accepted starting in January. For more information, visit westerncoop.com/sharing success.
Donations can be made to the Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center via the Smoky Hill Childcare Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) public charity and non-profit organization. Donations can be mailed directly to 404 Kunkle Drive, Ellsworth, KS 67439, or visit ellsworthclc.org/how-you-can-help for additional ways to help.
PHOTO CAPTION:
(From the left) ECLC Board President Cory Rathbun, ECLC Board Member and Fundraising Committee Chair Keri Whorton, and Executive Director Meghan Goding accept a $5,000 Sharing Success grant from Western Co-op’s Member Services Manager, Nolan Numrich.