Whatcom Center for Early Learning Recognized Nationally with a $2 Million Grant 

CONTACT: Sierra James, 360-966-1007 – sierra@wcel.net 

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Bellingham, WA - Whatcom Center for Early Learning has received $2 million dollars as one of the highest-scoring organizations that applied to the MacKenzie Scott Yield Giving Open Call. 

 

Whatcom Center for Early Learning partners with families to deliver high quality, equitable, and comprehensive therapy and early support services to children under three years old with disabilities and developmental delays creating a solid foundation for their long-term well-being.  

 

Yield Giving received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.  

 

“WCEL was thrilled for the children and families we serve to be awarded twice the funding we initially applied for,” says Executive Director Sierra James. “This is a game changer. It will allow us to continue to serve the growing number of children coming into our program each year and to plan towards a new custom-built facility after 50 years of adapting to spaces not built around our unique mission.” 

  

Early support services (previously known as early intervention) are one of the most beneficial times to invest because 85% of a child’s adult brain is formed by the time they are two years old.  Children and families graduate from our programs with improved holistic well-being, empowering them to have better life-long health, education and economic outcomes. 

 

We know WCEL provides life-changing services when we hear from parents: “[At WCEL] my daughters each developed this special confidence they still carry, lifelong friendships were born, and we found a sense of community... We are forever thankful for all of the ways that they encourage and facilitate a strong community foundation for children and caregivers.”  

 

"The Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen,” states Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. 

 

Join Whatcom Center for Early Learning’s annual gala fundraiser on June 1st or find more information on how you can support children experiencing developmental delays and disabilities, and their families and caregivers by exploring our website.

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Film used in grant application:

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