Senator Shaheen visited Mid-State’s Little Antlers Learning Center on Wednesday, June 1, following her successful push to secure $200,000 through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process to support families and children in Grafton County. This award will help the center renovate an 8,400-square-foot building to better provide early childhood education and childcare to families in the Central New Hampshire Region. Little Antlers Learning Center is slated to open this summer, providing space for more than 60 children in the region to have access to reliable, top-notch childcare.
“Access to affordable childcare and quality early education are top of mind for Granite State families, particularly as families grapple with surging costs. That’s why I fought to bring meaningful resources to address this issue in New Hampshire through the annual funding legislation – visiting Little Antlers Learning Center today highlighted how important these investments are,” said Shaheen. “It was great to witness renovations that are underway as the center transforms its building to better meet the needs of children and families in Grafton County. I’m excited for the new center’s anticipated opening this summer, and I’ll continue to prioritize investing in quality education and learning for young Granite Staters.”
“There is a critical need for childcare in our rural region, and Mid-State is committed to being a part of the solution. I’d like to thank Senator Shaheen for her successful push to secure funding through the Congressionally Directed Spending process for our Little Antlers Learning Center. By all of us working together, it has helped to ensure that many families in our region have access to high-quality, reliable childcare,” said Robert MacLeod, DHA, Chief Executive Officer of Mid-State Health Center.
Mid-State has worked to secure a variety of funding including Community Development Block Grants and tax credits, as well as a grant through the Northern Border Regional Commission. Audrey Goudie, Director of Philanthropy states, ““We have had very generous community partners join us in our mission to increase the capacity for childcare in our community, however, more funding is needed to help defray the costs of this project.”
Little Antlers has naming opportunities and general fundraising options available through their Building the Next Generation capital campaign. Every donation will make a difference for our community’s children. To learn more visit littleantlers.org.