United Community expands Early Learning Center

United Community recently expanded its Early Learning Center to care for more infants between the age of six weeks and 7 months old.

Pamela Northam, wife of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday at the Bryant High School, where the Early Learning Center is located. Ralph Northam announced on Tuesday that his upcoming budget proposal will include nearly $95 million in funding for early childhood education.

“Nearly half of Virginia’s children enter kindergarten without the basic skills they need to succeed in school and beyond,” Pamela Northam said at the Early Learning Center event. “The Governor and I are dedicated to expanding access to quality early childhood care and education and I’m grateful to centers like United Community’s Early Learning Center for their commitment to serving more families.”

The Learning Center, which was started by United Community in 1986, now has capacity for 96 children between the ages of six weeks and five years old. In addition to the childcare and preschool programs, children at the center are eligible for free vision, dental and auditory screenings.

United Community Executive Director Alison DeCourcey said the expansion was particularly important for working parents who need the full-day care provided by the Early Learning Center.

“Many area providers offer half-day preschool for toddlers to pre-K, which is a problem for many of the working parents we serve,” DeCourcey, said in a press release. “This expansion allows our clients to continue to secure economic stability for their families without sacrificing an opportunity for their child to receive nurturing, high-quality care.”

Del. Paul Krizek (D-44), Del. Mark Sickles (D-43) and Mount Vernon District school board member Karen Corbett Sanders also attended the ceremony.

The press release said that a recent study by the Northern Virginia Healthcare Foundation show that some parts of the area served by United Community have less than 0.1 percent of children enrolled in preschool.

“Fifteen percent of all families in [in United Community’s area] live below the poverty line,” United Community said. “The area provides a stark contrast to the rest of Fairfax County, where the average family spends over $20,000 on childcare expenses each year”

Founded in 1968, United Community is a Richmond Highway-based non-profit that provides human services and other programs in the area.