'Hands Up!' Preschool receives $350K in grant funding for facility renovations
Through the help of a grant, a local preschool in Jackson is about to make some much-needed renovations.
Behind St. Mary's Catholic Church, tucked in a quiet corner of a residential neighborhood on the west side of town, "Hands Up!" Preschool operates out of Greenfield Drive under the leadership of Director Jasmine Pearman.
Pearman was notified in January that her preschool would receive $349,000 in grant funds to cover improvements and renovations to the facility.
Not only will the renovations increase the preschool's capacity, but according to Pearman, the ability to expand childcare options so parents can return to work.
"I think with adding these classrooms, I can employ more people, and we'll have more parents out in the workforce," she said.
A report released by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth in March 2022 revealed that Madison County ranked 95th out of 95 counties in the state for child well-being. Among several others, indicators include the number of available childcare options, the number of children living in poverty and the number of uninsured children.
The Madison County Children's Cabinet was established as a result, with one of its goals being to expand access to child care and early education.
Ramps, new floors, fresh interior and exterior paint, the addition of an infant/toddler-specific playground and increased security measures are among the improvements Hands Ups is looking to make.
More: Jackson-Madison County Children's Cabinet forms to prioritize child well-being
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The YMCA Early Learning Center in Jackson was the second awardee, receiving $500,000.
The funding stems from the federal Community Development Block Grants provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
These funds get funneled through Tennessee's Department of Economic and Community Development and become available for city and county professionals to apply for the chance to benefit their communities.
Hands Up is hands-on
When the preschool started in 2012, its mission was to address the reading gap strictly in three and four-year-olds en route to starting kindergarten.
Allowing it to now offer care for children between six weeks old and four years old, the preschool added an infant room to its facility in January.
More: Child care options shrink as desperation grows for Madison County families
Fostering critical thinking and conflict resolution skills, Hands Up utilizes a hands-on approach to learning.
Currently, the care center serves about 22 children and their families, despite the capacity allowing up to 90 children.
It plans to have three classrooms for infants, two classrooms for toddlers, and one classroom for three and four-year-olds.
Ramps leading to each of these classrooms are one of the major improvements Pearman listed on her application.
"I knew that that was one of the biggest things I needed from the grant," she said. "To expand and to be able to have more infants to help the community because that's what the need is, parents can't go to work because they don't have child care for their infant."
The grant stipulates that for every $85,000 requested in funding, one job must be created. More money for staff expansion will allow Pearman to better meet the community demand for child care accessibility.
Making it work on short notice
Under the CDBG umbrella, the city was notified in early October that it could apply for the Child Care Creation Grant.
As a requirement of the grant, a public hearing was held at City Hall on Oct. 23. Childcare directors and owners were encouraged to attend where they learned about the process and the scoring criteria on which their applications would be based.
Preschools and care centers that wanted to apply had one week from that point to submit their applications to the city.
Pearman added that though the short application turnaround was challenging, she knew exactly what her facility needed.
Applications were then reviewed by a committee that decided which ones would be sent to the state for final consideration.
A key factor of consideration in the review process was the extent of the applicant's servicing of low to moderate-income families.
If awarded, the grant money could be used for purchasing indoor or outdoor appliances or equipment like stoves or playgrounds, renovations, or obtaining an existing building if the applicant is already licensed.
The grant could not be used for operational costs like property rental payments or the construction of a new facility.
Renovations at Hands Up are anticipated to be completed by August before the 2024-2025 school year begins.
"I am very excited for what's new, what's going to happen, and it's just going to be a better environment and add to what we already do," Pearman said.
Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here.
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Local Jackson preschool receives $350K for facility improvements
