Two nonprofit agencies devoted to high-quality education are uniting to expand services and increase advocacy for thousands of families in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region.
Shannon Starkey-Taylor
Governing boards of Cincinnati Early Learning Centers, Inc., and Children, Inc. voted to become Learning Grove. The two organizations will begin working together immediately.
Together the agencies have been serving more than 3200 children in their early care and education programs annually. Both agencies’ program continuum serves children and families prenatally through college and career-readiness using holistic and innovative programming.
Their well-known services include childcare, preschool, before and after school care, parenting supports, professional coaching, and college/career planning. They have operated multiple services in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for more than 40 years.
Patti Gleason
The CEOs – Shannon Starkey-Taylor of Children, Inc. who will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and Patti Gleason of Cincinnati Early Learning Centers Inc., who will become the Chief Operating Officer, have worked together many times over the years and often discussed ways to expand their partnership.
According to Gleason “This partnership will allow us to support additional children and families in a more meaningful way. This exciting opportunity will improve the lives of children and families while strengthening our region for generations to come.”
Starkey-Taylor added “The future of our community is determined by the start we give our youngest children. This union enhances our ability to implement the best of what early childhood research says is possible to benefit the children of our region, especially for the ones who need it most.”
Learning Grove will continue to receive funding from United Way of Greater Cincinnati and to work with local schools and existing initiatives in both Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
