"Thank you to all the attendees that braved the wintry cold last Friday to join our festive celebration!  The ECA's Inaugural Lighting the Way Forward fundraiser was a huge success, raising over $40,000!  Many thanks to our 28 sponsors, J & L Catering for the delicious food, Sketchbook for the great space, and the almost 80 people who attended despite the -30 windchill!  We are filled with gratitude for the community support. 

In summary, the ECA is working hard to create access for ALL families with young children in Niles Township, by providing language access, direct assistance navigating applications and enrollments, and providing culturally relevant connections to our 49 partner organizations. Our comprehensive outreach strategy seeks to find the families that are not yet connected in our community. We appreciate you spreading the word of our work and referring families who may benefit from our support: 

• On-site Parent support groups

• Individual assistance completing applications, including for financial assistance and other emergency support

• Connections to weekly home visiting programs, childcare, preschool programs, early intervention, and developmental screenings

• Open play opportunities

• Car seat access

To date, we have connected over 329 children with early learning programs - that's 329 children who will be more prepared for success in Kindergarten, experience higher academic achievement, have stronger social skills, have better health outcomes as an adult and reduced crime/health risks later in life.  The number of families we are able to assist is increasing thanks to all of your support!