Grants Supporting Make the First Five Count

Easter Seals Eastern Pennsylvania’s Make the First Five Count program recently received grants from the Harry C. Trexler Trust and The Century Fund to expand services in the City of Allentown. Make the First Five Count is an early screening program that evaluates children under the age of five to determine if they are meeting developmental milestones. The screening is offered free of charge and includes a review of the results by an Easter Seals Child Development Specialist, who contacts parents to discuss the results, and if needed, offers support in identifying local resources to address the child’s needs.

The Harry C. Trexler Trust awarded $20,000 over two years to support increasing the delivery of services within the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ). Similarly, The Century Fund granted $2,500 to support the program in FY2016/2017. With the grant support, we anticipate conducting an additional 350 developmental screenings with follow-up support; conducting classes for parents; and training child care staff, preschool teachers and human service industry professionals on how to identify early indicators of developmental delays in children under age five and what to do if a problem is suspected.

Easter Seals Eastern PA has created strategic partnerships with organizations serving children and families within the NIZ, including the Allentown Health Bureau, The Salvation Army, and the Sixth Street Shelter. Our existing partnership with Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers will also contribute to our ability to reach more families in the Allentown NIZ. Additional partnerships will be developed over the next two years as the program expands.

For More Information about Make the First Five Count, contact:

Christina Reilley, Program Coordinator
Email: creilley@esep.org
610-289-0114 x232

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