Press Release
January 14, 2009: Just Like Us Family Enrichment Center Partners with I CAN Enrichment Center in Elyria to Provide a Unique Alternative to Ordinary Daycare
ELYRIA, OH—This month, the Just Like Us Family Enrichment Center partners with the I CAN Enrichment Center in Elyria to implement an innovative daycare program that goes beyond ordinary daycare to provide services to support the family as a whole. “Most other centers focus only on education of the child and not the family unit. We believe that by providing our unique service to families through I CAN, we will not only strengthen the family unit, but help to develop our community,” said Just Like Us Executive Director of Programs Marc Crosby. “We work with the families of I CAN to refer them to the resources that are needed to provide a better quality of life.”
Such resources may include agencies that provide assistance to meet food, housing, clothing, transportation, and financial needs. These additional services are provided to I CAN families through the “Family Piece Ink” component of Just Like Us. “Family
Piece Ink is a structured program to get parents to collaborate with us to determine how their children are educated,” said Crosby. By empowering parents to participate in program development and by arming them with the support services they need, the center is able to strengthen the family unit to ensure each child’s complete success in
the program. According to Crosby, a stronger family unit has repercussions for the community at large as well. “By helping our families in a practical manner, we encourage economic and community development, and in doing so, enhance the public safety of Lorain County.”
The I CAN Enrichment Center provides full time and part time daycare services to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old in a language-rich, hands-on environment that helps children understand concepts, ideas, and the world around them. Center teachers provide services pursuant to the “Creative Curriculum,” a research-based curriculum that emphasizes self-help skills in an age-appropriate, individualized
manner. I CAN also offers eligible families scholarships to assist in the cost of the services, services that are offeredin a timely way to all participating families. “We won’t ask you to wait 30 to 60 days before we can decide to help you--we want to help you now. We will walk with you through this process and encourage and support you the entire time,” Crosby said.
Famlies can contact the I CAN Enrichment Center to apply for services at 515 N. Abbe Rd., Suite H, in Elyria, or by phone at (440) 365-0728. Crosby believes this new program is a perfect complement to services already offered by Just Like Us, such as its multi-faceted prison re-entry program. As with all Just Like Us programs, the focus is on self-sufficiency for the family and how Just Like Us can help the family achieve this goal. “Families need to know that there are people out there that will team up with them to guide them through this process of getting back on their feet and treat them with the dignity that all of us desire,” he said.
For more information about the I CAN Enrichment Center or Just Like Us, or to arrange an interview with Marc Crosby, please contact him at (216) 283-5006 or contact us.
