Anderson First Steps Gets Award for Parental Program

Observer Reports

Anderson County's First Steps has received $11,374 to implement the Ready Rosie Active Family Engagement System in partnership with four Anderson County school districts (Anderson School Districts One, Two, Three, and Four). Through this project, 300 Anderson County parents will be offered the opportunity to learn about the developmental phases and needs of their young children, as well as how they can support their child’s overall skills and abilities to ensure they are ready for kindergarten.

South Carolina First Steps has awarded competitive grants totaling $282,731 to seven local First Steps nonprofits as part of its Early Childhood Innovation Grants program. The funding will expand programs and services that help prepare children for kindergarten.

Established in 2018, Early Childhood Innovation Grants support local initiatives that have a demonstrated impact on the healthy development and school readiness of young children from birth through age five.

South Carolina First Steps is both a nonprofit and state agency and is the only statewide, dedicated comprehensive early childhood agency in South Carolina focused on getting children ages birth through five ready for school and life success. Last year, First Steps directly served 28,427 children across all 46 counties.

Established in 1999 by the South Carolina General Assembly to close the gap on students’ preparedness for success in school, South Carolina First Steps takes a holistic approach to accomplishing its mission of preparing all children for success in school, work and life, offering services that improve children’s health, strengthen families, expand access to quality child care, increase participation in four-year-old kindergarten programs and help transition rising kindergartners into school.