PNC Foundation provides $56K for Gainesville head start learning play area

Staff Reports

Apr 26, 2024 3:31 pm

The Episcopal Children's Services celebrated its Gainesville Head Start/Early Head Start Center's learning play area opening on Thursday.

Courtesy of ECS

The Episcopal Children’s Services (ECS) celebrated the opening of a new outdoor learning play area at its Gainesville Head Start/Early Head Start Center on Thursday.

The “STEAM Ahead with Outdoor Learning” area was supported through a $56,000 grant from the PNC Foundation. The outdoor learning area is designed to build skills for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) while providing hands-on experiences with materials and opportunities that will support discovery, creativity and exploration.

The dedication event was attended by ECS regional leadership, community leaders and a special guest, Elmo.

An Episcopal Children's Services preschooler plays with items at the Gainesville center's new learning play area that opened on Thursday. — Courtesy of ECS An Episcopal Children’s Services preschooler plays with items at the Gainesville center’s new learning play area that opened on Thursday.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our Gainesville Head Start/Early Head Start center where learning takes place daily,” said ECS President & CEO Dr. Natalya Roby in a press release. “Our children are loved and safe and making great strides in literacy and math. This new STEAM playground truly enhances our holistic services for our children and families. This type of support is critical in shaping future generations. We are grateful for the generosity of community champions like PNC.”

The $56,000 PNC Foundation grant was made possible through PNC’s philanthropic initiative, PNC Grow Up Great®, which is a $500 million bilingual initiative to help prepare children from birth through age 5 for success in life and in school with an emphasis on underserved communities.

According to the ECS press release, “The new playground area will serve over 65 of the community’s most vulnerable preschoolers in one of the most challenged areas in Alachua County.”

“We’re proud to join Episcopal Children’s Services in providing this important resource to Gainesville families,” said Chris Kalin, PNC regional president for North Florida, in a press release. “Through PNC Grow Up Great, we look for innovative opportunities to enhance learning and development for children in our community. With projects like the STEAM Ahead play area, we can help them establish a lifelong love of learning and create a foundation for future success.”