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EDC-VC update for June 4

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President’s Message  
Bruce Stenslie
May 10th was a red letter day as EDC-VC joined local officials, First 5 Ventura County and Gus and Alma Ferrel, owners of ABC Kids Preschool, to cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the ABC Kids new Oxnard location on the campus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme (the Club). The Ferrels made available 78 new preschool slots in the Oxnard community, which has a high, unmet need for early childhood education.
This event marked the long-term collaborative efforts of the Ferrels as entrepreneurs committed to early childhood education, the  Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County, First 5 Ventura County as funders of a loan program, and the Club. Our collaborative mission was to add quality preschool slots to Oxnard.
Aware of the Community Investment Loan program funded by First 5, the Club reached out to the EDC-VC to consult about the potential for using excess space at their Oxnard club for quality child care, identifying three core benefits:
  1. By extending its services to younger children, the Club could add value to member families, providing a more comprehensive suite of services and creating a feeder for its youth development activities.
  2. By creating 78 new child care spots, the operation could help close the gap in access to quality care, particularly for low income children in the area.
  3. By contracting the childcare and preschool service out to a private, professional provider, the Club could lease the space to a business, generating rental income, essential for supporting and expanding the Club’s youth development offerings.
The goal of expanding high-quality preschool to every preschool-aged child in Ventura County requires stewardship, operating dollars, facilities, trained teachers and public will.  Click here for more.