"I am beyond grateful to the Erie County Gaming Authority (ECGRA) for focusing on the community, especially the most vulnerable and youngest in our community," said Carrisa Kepple, Director of Saint Benedict Child Development Center, when she learned that the Center was to be awarded a $52,749 grant to help recruit and retain qualified educators. "The teachers at Saint Benedict's devote their lives to making sure the children we serve obtain the best education possible during their time with us. The work they do does not stop when they clock out at the end of the day. Many of them are furthering their own education either by taking Child Development Associate courses, obtaining their Pennsylvania teaching certificates, or completing their master's in education. Their work never goes unnoticed, but grants such as this, which let them know that 'We see you and ee thank you for your hard work and efforts,' make a world of difference in a field that often gets overlooked."
Saint Benedict's includes Pre-K Counts, Head Start, and East Coast Migrant Head Start Programs. The award they received is designed to support Early Care and Education (ECE) programs that serve families in Erie County, particularly programs serving vulnerable or at-risk populations.
ECGRA is a sub-recipient of an Erie County grant award and was awarded $2.5 million in funding by Erie County Council in 2024 to stabilize and improve the early childhood learning and daycare industry throughout Erie County.
