FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2023 

Silver Spring, MD — As local governments look for ways to increase teacher pay, 12 full-time teacher salaries are fully covered at the Jo Ann & Carl McNair Community Child Development Center in Falls Church, Virginia, thanks to a $75,000 grant from Fairfax County. The award covers over 48% of staff payroll for two months. With Fairfax County’s support, Easterseals DC MD VA can retain its highly qualified teachers, meet required teacher-to-child classroom ratios, and better serve children with disabilities.

“We appreciate Fairfax County for prioritizing teacher salaries,” says Hope Ivey, Assistant Director for the Easterseals Child Development Center, Falls Church. “Our early education teachers are extremely dedicated, and they deserve the job security that comes from investments in competitive compensation.”

The Easterseals Child Development Center in Falls Church has been serving children of all abilities with inclusive early education for over 40 years. Easterseals has the only center within a 5-mile radius that accepts children under the age of two and is the only center within a 10-mile radius that enrolls children with disabilities for all age groups. The Falls Church location and rigorous teaching standards are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), a designation earned by only 10% of childcare centers in the nation.

Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services awarded the $75,000 Nonprofit Sustainability Grant to Easterseals DC MD VA. The funds originate from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated to Fairfax County to alleviate negative COVID-19–related economic impacts

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Easterseals DC MD VA – Easterseals is leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through direct and life-changing disability and community services. Since 1945, Easterseals DC MD VA has worked tirelessly to enhance quality of life and expand access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. And we won’t rest until each one of us is valued, respected, and accepted. Join us: www.eseal.org.

Fairfax County Neighborhood and Community Service – Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services administered distribution of the Nonprofit Sustainability Grants funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). As part of the Fairfax County Health and Human Services Network, NCS partners with communities, families and individuals to provide opportunities to access a continuum of resources that promote equity and create positive outcomes for people of all ages and abilities. For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs.

Contact: Lauren Poon, Manager of Communications & Marketing, lpoon@eseal.org