Hundreds of low-income children in Wilmington have better coping skills thanks in part to a grant from Highmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Delaware.
The Ministry of Caring has three child care centers in Wilmington for kids between the ages of six weeks and five years old.
Lauren McLoughlin with Ministry of Caring said the grant funded a program focused teaching resiliency to homeless or recently homeless children. She said developing that skill helps them bounce back after stress or change.
“They have more to face than other children so it’s important to give them the extra assistance to help them deal with those challenges in a productive way,” she said.
The $49,000 grant helped 145 families in the program. While this was a one-time only gift, McLoughlin said training the staff received allows them to continue teaching these skills to other children that come into the program.
“I guess in general, all children need to learn these things, right? Self-regulation, attachment, initiative," she said. "Those are all good skills that will benefit children as they move on to school and as they grow up.”
Correction: This story previously listed the grant funding for this program at $48,000. The grant was $49,000. The story has been updated and Delaware Public Media apologize for the error.
