DEL culturally relevant parent support projects

The Department of Early Learning (DEL) in December 2007 provided $320,000 in community-based funding to 22 culturally relevant projects that support Washington parents in healthy family development.

After receiving more than 80 funding applications, DEL selected local projects that are innovative and reach out to diverse families and communities. The projects include efforts that:

  • Offer parent education to rural college students to help them achieve the balance needed to juggle the complex demands of parenting, college, and work.
  • Support a traveling science and math display at local community centers so parents and caregivers can bring their children to explore math and science concepts in a hands-on setting.
  • Bring together Tribal Nation families for a monthly community family night that includes dinner and literacy activities.
  • Support recent east African immigrants as they help their children transition into traditional American schools.

Other projects will support teen parents, grandparents raising children, public libraries offering kindergarten readiness activities to parents and caregivers, and incarcerated parents and caregivers working together to raise children.

The selected organizations and the corresponding counties are:

Wonderland Development Center
N. King, S. Snohomish
Walla Walla Community College
Walla Walla
Kalispel Tribe of Indians
Pend Oreille
Child Care Action Council
Lewis, Mason, Thurston
La Casa Hogar -- Yakima Interfaith Coalition
Yakima
Blue Earth Farms
Lewis
Othello School District
Adams
Peninsula College -- Makah Tribe Higher Ed Pgm
Clallam
Mary Bridge Children's Foundation
Pierce
St. Joseph Family Center
Spokane
Thurston Community Network
Thurston
Sedro-Woolley Public Library
Skagit
Horn of Africa Services
King
Safe Homes
Pierce
Palouse Industries/Young Children and Family Pgms
Whitman
Volunteers of America Western Washington
Snohomish
Asotin County Health District
Asotin
Valley Cities Counseling and Consultation
King
Children's Home Society of Washington
Clark
Lutheran Community Services NW -- Parent Line
Clallam and Jefferson
The Family Support Center of South Sound
Thurston
COPE (Community Opportunities for Parenting Education)
Grays Harbor