Appleseed Childhood Education has received a $133,200 Community Facilities grant from the U.S Department of Agriculture-Rural Development Indiana to support the creation of Appleseed’s new high-quality early learning center in Rensselaer.
Renovations on the building at 1102 East Grace Street in Rensselaer are underway. When renovations are complete, the facility will meet state licensing requirements for providing daytime child care five days a week for 73 children ages six weeks old through five years old. The funds awarded to Appleseed will be used to purchase classroom and kitchen equipment.
The USDA-Rural Development Indiana State Director, Dr. Terry Goodin, said, “The USDA-Rural Development Indiana is pleased to partner with Appleseed Childhood Education. We strongly believe early education is essential for the developmental needs of children. This partnership reinforces our ideology that Together Indiana Prospers and Together America Prospers.”
Adam Alson, president of Appleseed said, “We are excited to receive this grant from the USDA-Rural Development Indiana, and we appreciate the statement this award makes: that early learning is essential for rural communities like Rensselaer.”
Jasper County-based nonprofit Appleseed Childhood Education was formed in January 2020 to address the lack of licensed early childhood education programs in Rensselaer and surrounding areas. With only one licensed child care center in the county currently (Growing Patch Learning Center in Remington), the new center in Rensselaer will provide a full-time care option in the geographic center of the county. The new center will double the number of seats in Jasper County available for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children.
The new center in Rensselaer will be operated by Right Steps Child Development Centers, a nonprofit organization based in Lafayette with over 50 years of experience serving families and providers in the area of nationally accredited early childhood development. Currently, Right Steps operates five centers in the Greater Lafayette area, one center in Goodland, and Growing Patch Learning Center in Remington.
