Grant money supports child care for local teachers

Donald S. Collins Early Learning Center receives $7,000 from Black Mountain - Swannanoa Endowment Fund

The Valley Echo
April 27, 2022

The Collins Early Learning Center in Black Mountain has been awarded a $7,000 grant from the Black Mountain - Swannanoa Endowment Fund to support child care for local teachers and substitutes. Photo by Fred McCormick

A local day care has received funding for its efforts to support educators in the Owen School District. 

The Donald S. Collins Early Learning Center was awarded $7,000 from the Black Mountain - Swannanoa Endowment Fund to subsidize tuition for the children of area teachers. 

The assistance is intended to address a challenge in the local school district, and can be requested through local principals in two scenarios, according to Collins Center board member Dr. John DeWitt.  

The scholarship funds will be used to cover registration fees and provide a 25% discount on tuition for the children of substitute teachers, who are often kept from filling the shifts by lack of access to temporary and affordable child care. The issue has presented a challenge for local schools, DeWitt said. 

“We very much appreciate the support of the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Foundation in helping meet the needs of our schools, by providing support to our teachers and helping the schools offer support to get substitutes for the classrooms,” he said. “The Collins Center continues to expand its programs to provide a high-quality child care program in its new building to meet the needs of parents who are looking for a 5-star program for their children.” 

The funds are also available to support any public school teacher in the Swannanoa Valley, offering a 10% discount on tuition rates and waiving registration fees when they enroll their children in the center. The assistance, according to the nonprofit organization, will help teachers with the rising costs of child care. 

“The Center Board strongly believes that this financial assistance will help many underpaid teachers financially, and provides them with the assurance that their child is in a safe and secure learning environment,” DeWitt said in a statement announcing the initiative. 

The Collins Center, which is located behind the First Baptist Church of Black Mountain, provides care and early childhood learning services for infants through Pre-K, and offers afterschool and summer programs for Kindergartners through second grade. 

The Black Mountain - Swannanoa Endowment Fund, one of nearly 20 grant programs operated through the Community Foundation of WNC, supports innovative projects and programs in the Swannanoa Valley. The endowment awards grants of $2,500 to $10,000 for philanthropic initiatives and to strengthen charitable organizations in the community. 

For more information on the Black Mountain - Swannanoa Endowment Fund, visit cfwnc.org/grants/black-mountain-swannanoa-valley-endowment-fund. For more information about the Collins Center, visit collinslearningcenter.com, or to schedule a tour, contact Executive Director Monnie Wright, at 828-669-6617.