Daycares receive grants

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By ANNE KAZMIERCZAK Register Reporter
Four daycares in the Iola area will have a little more spending money come spring. The Family Resource Center Resource and Referral Office, based in Pittsburg, has selected them to receive $500 each to support efforts combating childhood obesity.
Sheila Tremain, Durenda Frye and Jackie Borjas in Iola plus Patty Patterson at Rowdy Ranch in Gas will all receive the grants this May, said Elisa Kramer, Provider Outreach Specialist with the FRCRRO.
The money comes from the United Methodist Health Fund, Kramer said. It must be used by the centers “for specific equipment that has to do with the outdoors — the natural environment — or physical movement.”
Daycare providers can buy “scarves, CDs, balls —anything that gets the kids moving,” Kramer said, or “grass seed, soil and things to build gardens,” she said.
Centers can also purchase items for their kitchens emphasizing nutrition, Kramer said. “Nutrition items might include aprons, cooks books or things to get kids to participate in healthy food choices.”
It’s all “to keep children moving and teach them nutrition awareness,” Kramer said.

THE EXCEL, or Excellence in Early Child Learning, program has been in place five years, Kramer said.
There are seven “service delivery areas” across Kansas that utilize the program, said FRCRRO coordinator Dawn Miles.
The Pittsburg “office works with 16 counties in southeast and south central Kansas,” Kramer said. “We have close to 700 providers in our 16 county area.” Each year, 20 providers are selected in each service area to receive the grants.
Kramer works with four counties: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, and Neosho. She focuses on just one each fiscal year with regards to the UMHF grants. “It does take a year long commitment,” she said of the grant process.
“We reach out to the providers,” Kramer said. Surprisingly, “not all are interested.”
Kramer evaluates each center and rates it. “We look and see what they are doing and give them suggestions” to enhance physical activity and nutrition for the children, she said. “There are also six hours of training they need to get” to qualify for the grants, Kramer said.
In addition, the centers must apply to be part of the program, then write up a grant request explaining what they will do with the funds.
“When they’ve completed those requirements, they get a grant of $500.”
Some people find it too much bother, said Miles. “They see it as another person they have to deal with, and we respect that.”
After the awards are disbursed, Kramer re-evaluates the centers to be sure they bought the equipment they said they would. “We do another rating after they’ve established their equipment,” Kramer said. “Hopefully they’ll see their scores go up.”
As for this years award winners, Miles said, “They’ve all been working really hard. We’re really proud of them”