Premier Preschools Nationwide Complete First Year of Child Sponsorship Initiative
Preschoolers across the country are making a difference in the lives of children in rural communities of high need through a partnership between Primrose Schools, a high-quality early education and care provider with more than 300 schools coast-to-coast, and international nonprofit Save the Children®. For the past year, Primrose schools have been participating in Save the Children’s U.S. Child Sponsorship Program, sponsoring more than 290 children and supporting better access to basic education, early child care and school nutrition in some of the country’s most underserved communities.
Each participating Primrose school devotes classroom time to teach students about their sponsored “Primrose Pal” through discussions, letter writing, art projects and other activities. Similarly, sponsored children have the opportunity to learn about the classroom of Primrose friends and write back to them, creating a mutually beneficial relationship between children.
The child sponsorship initiative is part of a multi-year partnership between Primrose Schools and Save the Children. Since the partnership was announced last fall to more than 45,000 Primrose students and their families, many have participated in Save the Children’s U.S. Child Sponsorship Program.
The partnership is a part of Primrose Schools’ corporate social responsibility commitment, Primrose Promise, which aims to create a brighter future for all children through advocacy efforts focused on access to high quality early education, safety and quality child care standards.
“Primrose believes in giving without expectation. It is the foundation of our Primrose Promise and a core value we’ve been nurturing with children for more than 30 years,” said Jo Kirchner, president and CEO of Primrose Schools. “Not only does our partnership with Save the Children bring us closer to making quality early education and care a reality for all children, it also provides meaningful ways to model generosity, compassion and kindness with our students. These important character traits tend to stay with the children for life.”
In addition to child sponsorship, the partnership between Primrose Schools and Save the Children focuses on early literacy and protection from harm for children living in communities with the greatest need to ensure they have the best opportunities for success. According to the most recent U.S. Census data, nearly 20 percent of American children live in poverty. The partnership is focusing efforts in communities where more than 75 percent of families live below the federal poverty level.
“We are so grateful to have a partner in Primrose to help our organization provide vital support to children facing a lack of resources in rural, remote communities of the U.S.,” said Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children. “Together, we’re making a real difference in the lives of children in the greatest need of our help.”
About Save the Children
Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Through its early childhood development and basic education programming, Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About Primrose Schools
Founded in 1982, Primrose Schools is the nation’s leader in providing a premier, early education and care experience in more than 300 schools in 25 states. Each Primrose school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners, who partner with parents to help children build the right foundation for future learning and life, and offer an environment that helps children have fun while nurturing Active Minds, Healthy Bodies and Happy Hearts®. Primrose is the first early childhood education organization in the country to receive AdvancED Corporation Systems Accreditation under the new Standards for Quality Early Learning Schools. For more information, visit www.PrimroseSchools.com, follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube, and explore our 360 Parenting blog.