Child care home earns loan, grant
An Albany, Mo., child care home has been awarded a low-interest loan and grant to construct a new facility.
The Missouri Child Care Resource & Referral Network said Bright Beginnings will receive the loan of up to $114,600 and a $5,000 grant through the Quality First program. Loans and grants became available in April through First Children’s Finance-Missouri, a low-interest lender for child care.
Quality First is available to licensed child care programs striving to achieve higher standards, such as accreditation. Bright Beginnings director Jennifer Akins plans to have the new center accredited, but will have to operate the facility for one year before she can apply.
The facility may open in early to mid-October. It is slated to become the first licensed child care center in Albany in the past 15 years. A waiting list has begun for 2009.
The network provides training, technical assistance and other supports to child care businesses that seek to improve quality. It is financed by federal and state funds. The YWCA of St. Joseph provides resources and referrals to families in the region.
More flood aid sought
President Bush has been asked to consider expanding a major disaster declaration to include six Northwest Missouri counties that received damage in July’s floods and severe storms.
An incident period for an earlier round of storms closed July 18. Disaster declarations are being sought for both individual and public forms of assistance.
Harrison and Livingston counties are on the request list for individual assistance. They are joined by Gentry, Grundy, Mercer and Worth counties on the public assistance list.
Ray Scherer can be reached
