GLADIOLUS LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC

CHILD CARE: GLADIOLUS LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER INC, FORMERLY KNOWN AS BRIGHTEST HORIZONS IS LICENSED TO CARE FOR 163 CHILDREN. IT IS OUR CHOICE TO SERVE LOW INCOME WORKING FAMILIES. THE HARLEM HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD IS HOME TO 1,200 CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. THIRTY-SIX PERCENT OF HARLEM HEIGHTS' FAMILIES LIVE BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL WHICH ENABLES THEM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE IF GOVERNMENT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE FOR FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES BECAUSE WE ARE DETERMINED TO RAISE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REQUIRED TO MEET THE FUNDING GAP BETWEEN WHAT IS REIMBURSED AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS TO CARE FOR A CHILD. WHEN FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH DONATIONS, WE OFFER OTHER LIMITED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES. FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE SUBSIDIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINED THROUGH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR CARE. AS PARENTS "DISQUALIFY" DUE TO A CUT IN WORK HOURS, A CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT THAT WAS NOT COMMUNICATED, OR OTHER VARIOUS REASONS, WE LOSE CHILDREN. THESE CHILD CARE SPOTS ARE DIFFICULT TO FILL WITHOUT SUBSIDY PROGRAMS. THE CURRENT WAIT LIST FOR CHILD CARE IN LEE COUNTY IS CLOSE TO 1,500 CHILDREN. GLADIOLUS CENTER PARTICIPATES IN THE CHILD CARE EXECUTIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM WITH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION WHICH ENABLES RESIDENTS OF HARLEM HEIGHTS TO QUALIFY FOR SUBSIDIES. GLADIOLUS CENTER COMMITS 50,000 YEARLY TO THIS PROGRAM, THE STATE FUNDS A PORTION, AND THE PARENT PAYS A PORTION. GLADIOLUS CENTER HAS CHILD CARE OPENINGS, BUT IS UNABLE TO BRING CHILDREN IN BECAUSE SUBSIDIES ARE LIMITED. WORKING TOGETHER WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WE TRY TO REACH ALL FAMILIES THAT NEED OUR SERVICES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING CARE FOR CHILDREN UP TO THE AGE OF 12. GLAD ENSURES A SAFE, EDUCATIONAL, AFTER SCHOOL SETTING WHILE PARENTS ARE AT WORK. GLADIOLUS CENTER TRIES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL FAMILIES REQUIRING SERVICES. THE VOLUNTARY PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM OFFERED BY GLADIOLUS LEARNING CENTER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, READIES CHILDREN TO ATTEND KINDERGARTEN IN THE FALL. VPK ALLOWS ALL CHILDREN AGE 4 BY SEPTEMBER 1ST TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EDUCATIONALLY BASED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE PRE READINESS SKILLS REQUIRED TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN. AT GLADIOLUS CENTER, OVER HALF OF THE CHILDREN HAVE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM COME TO US WITH LIMITED ENGLISH. WITH THE SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN RECEIVE FROM STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE TRANSITION INTO KINDERGARTEN IN AUGUST. OUR PROGRAMS ALLOW CHILDREN TO GROW, LEARN AND THRIVE. WE ARE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED THROUGH THE ACCREDITED PROFESSIONAL PRESCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, KNOWN AS APPLE AND HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE GOLD SEAL OF EXCELLENCE BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. OUR PROGRAMS PROVIDE A SECURE AND ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT THAT SERVES THE CHILDREN OF LOW-INCOME WORKING FAMILIES. IT IS BECAUSE OF OUR ABILITY TO DO GOODWILL THAT WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO SAY "NO" TO ANY FAMILY THAT COULD NOT AFFORD TO PROVIDE QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE FOR THEIR CHILD. TWO NOURISHING MEALS AND SNACKS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE CHILDREN SO THEY MAY GROW. DEVELOPING MINDS CANNOT CONCENTRATE ON ACADEMICS IF TUMMIES ARE GROWLING OR WONDERING WHERE THE NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM. THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE CREATIVE CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO SPECIFICALLY MEET THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN CARED FOR ALLOWING THEM TO LEARN. TOGETHER WITH THE EDUCATION, CARE LOVE AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS BEING MET THROUGH OUR FAMILY ENVIRONMENT, OUR CHILDREN ARE EMPOWERED TO THRIVE AND BUILD A BETTER FUTURE. PUT SIMPLY, OUR GOAL IS TO BE A UNIQUE PART OF THEIR GROWTH PROCESS. GLADIOLUS CENTER IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE HARLEM HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS SITUATED IN A LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD. MANY PARENTS MUST WORK TWO JOBS JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. AS THEY STRUGGLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEED FOR CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO SEE THIS NEED: IT IS IN OUR OWN BACKYARD OF FORT MYERS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE A COMMITMENT TO NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND AND YET WITHOUT EARLY LEARNING IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS GLADIOLUS CENTER, THE CHILDREN OF THE LOCAL WORKING POOR ARE BEHIND BEFORE THEY EVEN BEGIN THE K-12 EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. THE AVERAGE COST OF EARLY EDUCATION FOR A CHILD IS APPROXIMATELY 9,000 A YEAR. FAMILIES CONTRIBUTE APPROXIMATELY 1,000; BASED ON THEIR INCOME. THERE IS A GREAT NEED TO SUPPLEMENT THE COST OF QUALITY EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE. IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, OVER 400,000 HAS BEEN CUT FROM OUR BUDGET. WE CONTINUE TO SERVE UP TO 163 STUDENTS DAILY WITH THE GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT OF THE INDIVIDUALS WE HAVE TOUCHED. IN 2017-2018, AS IN PRIOR YEARS, GLADIOLUS LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER WAS AWARDED 5 STARS OF EXCELLENCE BY THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WHICH RATES CENTERS ON PROGRAM QUALITY. THIS IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF STARS POSSIBLE. 90% OF OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN SCORED IN THE READY TO LEARN CATEGORY FOR KINDERGARTEN, WHILE 89% OF OUR CHILDREN AGES 0-5 SCORED IN THE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE RANGE ON THEIR AGES AND STAGES QUESTIONNAIRE. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL JOIN WITH US TO GIVE THESE CHILDREN A TIME TO GROW, LEARN AND THRIVE, WHERE THEY CAN FOCUS ONCE AGAIN ON THE DELIGHT OF JUST BEING CHILDREN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF WORKING TOGETHER AND EXTENDING THIS AMAZING, LIFE CHANGING GIFT OF EDUCATION TO LOCAL CHILDREN. IT IS OUR GOAL TO CHANGE THIS AREA BY EMPOWERING FAMILIES THROUGH EDUCATION TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY