Sheltering Arms Foundation Renews Support for Early Childhood Initiative

The Sheltering Arms Foundation in Minneapolis has recently renewed its commitment to the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative with a $25,000 grant to the six regional Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs). The foundation's funding support will help further the MIFs' early childhood coalition-building work in Greater Minnesota communities.

Over the course of three years, the MIFs are developing 36 early childhood coalitions, six within each of the six rural regions. Each MIF is providing technical assistance and financial support to help participating communities build a local coalition of committed individuals from diverse sectors, raise awareness about early childhood, and implement strategies to strengthen early care and education.

"We are thrilled to have continued support from the Sheltering Arms Foundation," said Lynn Haglin, vice president/KIDS PLUS director of the Northland Foundation in Duluth. "Resources from the Sheltering Arms Foundation will assist the Early Childhood Coalition Communities with facilitating intentional discussions around early care and education issues and opportunities and create community-based strategies to meet the needs of young children and their families."

"The first five years of a child's life are so incredibly important," said Denise Mayotte, executive director of the Sheltering Arms Foundation. "We hope this grant for the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative will help communities develop a solid base for strengthening local early care and education, and ultimately help our state's youngest children get the best possible start in life."

The Sheltering Arms Foundation supports programs benefiting children and their families who are most vulnerable, have the least access to resources, and are least likely to have a wide array of choices about their future. The foundation was founded in 1983 as the successor organization of Sheltering Arms Orphanage, Hospital and School, which had successively served disadvantaged children for more than 100 years. The foundation is a supporting organization of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, and is governed by a board of trustees of women volunteers representing various Episcopal congregations throughout the state.

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