Bainum Family Foundation Invests
$2.2 Million to Expand Services for Infants and Toddlers in Wards 7 and 8

Bethesda, Maryland (March 14, 2016) – The Bainum Family Foundation continues to fulfill its five-year, $10 million commitment to improve early childhood across the District of Columbia, this week announcing funding support of $2.2 million for eight local organizations that provide direct services in the areas of early learning, health care, mental wellness, nutrition and home visiting to low-income families in Wards 7 and 8.

These investments are designed to help the Foundation reach its goal of adding 750 high-quality early learning seats in Wards 7 and 8 by 2020, as well as providing wrap-around support services (such as mental health and nutrition) to an additional 2,000 elementary school students to improve the skills and social-emotional well-being needed for effective learning.

“Making the District a place where every infant and toddler gets the support he or she needs will require policy changes as well as practice changes, and that’s why we are providing this funding,” said Barbara Bainum, Chair of the Board, CEO and President at the Bainum Family Foundation. “These organizations have proven their effectiveness in providing services that support early learning and address the needs of our community’s most vulnerable infants and toddlers.”

Six organizations received funding to expand existing services as well as develop new services (see attachment for a description of the projects and services being funded).

• CentroNìa
• Children’s National Health System
• Community of Hope
• Mary’s Center
• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
• United Planning Organization (UPO)

CentroNìa, Community of Hope and Mary’s Center also will become part of the Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance, a group convened recently by the Foundation to ensure that early childhood needs in the District are identified and addressed in a collaborative and cohesive manner. The Alliance includes leading children’s policy, advocacy and service organizations in the District. In January, the Foundation announced funding support totaling $575,000 to the initial Alliance members, which included Children’s National Health System, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and United Planning Organization.

Two additional organizations received funding support for new facilities they are building in Ward 8.

• Bright Beginnings, which provides early childhood education and comprehensive social services to homeless children and their parents, is building a new Early Learning Center at 3418 4th Street SE that will serve 100 additional children.

• Martha’s Table, which works to increase access to education, food and opportunity across the District through its Healthy Start, Healthy Eating and Healthy Connections programs, is building a new headquarters and Early Learning Center at the Commons of Stanton Square.

A December 2015 report commissioned by the Foundation revealed that young children living in the District’s Wards 7 and 8 disproportionately face obstacles that impede their educational, developmental and even survival potential. The analysis, conducted by Child Trends, indicates that infants and toddlers in those wards are up to 40 times more likely to face these obstacles than their peers in the District’s more affluent areas.

“Our goal is to produce a dramatic increase in the level of support for infants and toddlers in the District,” said Bainum. “We want to build an integrated approach that helps children in every aspect of their lives — in the classroom, in the community and at home. The District has made great strides on pre-K and health care coverage, demonstrating that we can improve the odds for infants and toddlers when policymakers make them a priority.”

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The Bainum Family Foundation combines proven expertise with a passion for supporting the whole child by providing integrated services to help them thrive. Our circle of collaboration includes investments and support in early learning, wrap-around services and knowledge building. Founded in 1968 by Stewart and Jane Bainum, the Foundation has helped underserved children exit poverty through high-quality educational programs and services for nearly 50 years. For more information, visit www.bainum.wearevanish.com.

Contacts

Ed Walz
Springboard Partners
202.374.8872
ed@springboard.partners

Ann Egan
Senior Director of Communications
240.450.0027
aegan@bainumfdn.org