Quality, licensed early childcare is one of the greatest unmet needs of Southside Indianapolis families. Teaming up with Early Learning Indiana, Christel House Indianapolis has a crucial opportunity to introduce a new Early Learning Center at Manual to serve infants to five-year-olds as part of the school’s new community-serving campus in Indianapolis.
“Quality early childhood education makes a positive impact on everything from a child’s future learning to family self-sufficiency and breaking the cycle of poverty,” says Dr. Sarah Weimer, Executive Director, Christel House Indianapolis. “The ambitious $2 million construction project at Manual will require extensive renovation to convert office space into rooms appropriate for infants, toddlers, and pre-k students.” Early Learning Indiana has the opportunity to secure a $1 million dollar-for-dollar match from United Way of Central Indiana. Lesvi De La Cruz Barragan, a graduate of Christel House DORS, an adult high school, says her family has struggled with few quality choices for early child care. “Our kids are our future,” says Lesvi. “This is a great program to invest in.”