HARRISBURG (April 22, 2022) – Support for Grove City-area children and families will grow, with today’s announcement of a $1 million grant secured by Sen. Michele Brooks and Rep. Tim Bonner for expanded educational opportunities at the Grove City YMCA.
“By expanding the infrastructure at the Grove City Y’s former elementary school building, we can help establish a strong foundation for the future for our children and families,” Brooks said. “This funding will contribute to the expansion of capacity in the Y’s after-school programs, bolster health care resources, and better prepare small children for a lifetime of success. It is my hope this project will ease the challenge for parents struggling to find child care. The improvements to this center will help reassure working parents that their children are safe, cared for, and learning during the workday, and will help provide children and the larger community with the building blocks to success.”
The Grove City YMCA has already launched a successful capital campaign to improve its buildings. The funds secured by Brooks and Bonner will complement the generosity of these private donors in a successful public-private partnership.
Rep. Tim Bonner said, “This is a very exciting project for the Grove City community, which creates a strong alliance between the YMCA, the GCASD and AHN to serve the needs of our community in addressing early childhood and school age children’s needs; assist young parents in returning to work knowing their children are being cared for in an exemplary manner; and creating a model of cooperation and concern between the leading educational, medical and service institutions in our community. I thank Senator Brooks for her good work and cooperation in helping to secure the grant.”
The YMCA’s Chief Executive Officer Adam J. Cook was energized by the support, saying, “The RACP funding will benefit the early education center in so many ways. We look forward to not only impacting children and families in a holistic approach but using symbiotic relationships to continue to grow the economy of our area. We are grateful for the funding and look forward to the future of the center.”
The YMCA recently signed a 30-year lease with Grove City Area School District to repurpose a former elementary school into the Early Education Center. The center will increase childcare in the area and also improve medical and educational resources for children and families. Currently the Early Education Center services more than 100 families but with improvements and staffing we would be able to reduce the wait list to a maximum capacity of 245 families. The new facility will create a minimum of 14 new jobs in the area.
“This grant will build on the community’s investment in our children, and Rep. Bonner and I are so pleased to grow this investment in the future of Grove City,” Brooks said.
This funding was awarded under the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP).
CONTACT: Diane McNaughton, Brooks’ Office (717) 303-8320 dmmcnaughton@pasen.gov