Arapahoe Community College's (ACC) Child Development Center recently received a $20,000 grant from The Denver Foundation. This gift will be used to fund child care tuition stipends for the children of ACC student-parents who are considered to be low income. The Denver Foundation is a community foundation dedicated to improving life in Metro Denver through philanthropy, leadership, and strengthening the community. Community foundations are endowments - permanent pools of money contributed by donors to benefit a specific geographic area. The Denver Foundation awarded $65 million to nonprofit organizations in 2007.

The ACC Child Development Center (CDC) was established in 1975 to provide high quality, flexible, convenient, moderately-priced child care services for ACC students, staff, faculty, and the community on a space available basis. Located on the Main campus of ACC, the Child Development Center serves children between 2 ½ and 6 years of age during the fall and spring semesters and children 2 ½ through 12 years of age during the summer.

"The Arapahoe Community College Child Development Center is greatly pleased with the generous grant we received from The Denver Foundation. This grant will allow us to fund child care tuition for thirteen children, while their parents are attending college during the spring semester," states Mary Foster, interim director of the CDC.

The stipends provided by The Denver Foundation will enhance the ability of student-parents to continue their education while their children receive quality care and acquire essential developmental and cognitive skills. Typically, over 45% of families enrolled with the Child Development Center receive child care tuition stipends. These student parents could not attend college were it not for the financial assistance provided by foundations such as The Denver Foundation and the services provided by the CDC.

ACC's Child Development Center has one of the highest ECERS (Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale) ratings in Arapahoe County. The center has a combined score of 6.55 out of a possible 7.0, with the State's goal for excellence being a 5.0.

In order to qualify for a grant from The Denver Foundation's Community Grants Program, an organization must be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. They must be serving residents in one or more of the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, or Jefferson. Last but not least, the organization also must provide a service that falls under one of the four funding areas of Arts and Culture, Civic and Education, Health, or Human Services.

Since 1965, Arapahoe Community College has served the south Denver metropolitan area. One of 13 colleges in the Colorado Community College System, ACC offers 130 degree and certificate programs to its 7,500 plus credit students per semester through sites in downtown Littleton and Parker. ACC also offers professional development, customized training and other non-credit offerings enjoyed by many more lifelong learners. If you would like more information about ACC and their many programs go to www.arapahoe.edu.

Arapahoe Community College Mission Statement:

To provide an accessible, responsive learning environment that facilitates the achievement of educational, professional and personal goals by our students and other members of our communities in an atmosphere that embrace
academic excellence, diversity and innovation.