The organization is one of 86 chosen to help Hoosier families through a $50-million grant program.
CHESTERTON, INDIANA – Jacob’s Ladder is proud to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of the Early Years Initiative from Early Learning Indiana. The Early Years Initiative is a $50-million competitive grant program focused on enhancing the learning and development of infants and toddlers in Indiana communities. The generous support for this initiative comes from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Through this grant, Jacob’s Ladder will receive $500,000 in funding to provide developmental screening to 0–24-month-olds through their “Stay on Track” program. Here the focus is screening neurotypical infants and toddlers to quickly identify any gap areas and help them stay on track. This initiative aligns with their nonprofit mission to partner with families, communities, and health care providers to help children reach their full potential.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to support infants and toddlers as they grow and thrive. The “Stay on Track” program will provide consecutive screenings that follow each child through their developmental milestones. Over a three-year period, we will provide 2,400 children with 7,200 milestone screenings,” said Jacob’s Ladder Executive Director, Mariann Frigo.
With this support, Jacob’s Ladder aims to provide daycare screenings to ensure reflex integration and milestone acquisition. This initiative will benefit our littlest Hoosiers, train and support daycare providers, and educate and empower parents.
While the Early Years Initiative places special emphasis on serving families in low-income households,
Jacob’s Ladder has served Northwest Indiana communities for over 25 years and has a passion for underserved neighborhoods. With over 60 specialized pediatric physical, occupational, speech and developmental therapists, they have successfully served children in every neighborhood of Northwest Indiana.
“We only have a few short years to set our youngest Hoosiers on a path to thrive in life, and the work of our grantees across the state will enable us to make the most of these years while deepening our understanding about which efforts are most effective,” said Early Learning Indiana President and CEO Maureen Weber.
For more information about Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation’s progress, visit www.jacobskids.org.
About Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation
Jacob’s Ladder is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive therapy and supplemental care for children in need. Each week, over 1,000 therapy visits are completed with specialized pediatric staff. They serve seven counties across Northwest Indiana: Porter, Lake, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Pulaski and Starke. Jacob’s Ladder envisions a community where no child with developmental delays or special needs goes without comprehensive and affordable rehabilitation services in order to grow into the best version of themselves. This will be accomplished by further educating their community on the benefits of early childhood intervention and encouraging those who share similar values to join them in achieving this vision.
About Early Learning Indiana
Early Learning Indiana is an expert and trusted voice on early childhood education that works statewide to provide leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services that continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana. Early Learning Indiana operates 11 nationally accredited, high-quality Day Early Learning centers, a network of premier community-based centers used to advance the science of early learning, train the next generation of teachers and leaders, and instill knowledge and skills in the children we serve. Through regional and statewide programs, the organization works to ensure young children are empowered with essential skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more at EarlyLearningIN.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
