Howard Community College Awarded $1 Million Grant to Reopen Childcare Center
COLUMBIA, MD – Howard Community College (HCC) President Daria J. Willis today announced a $1 million grant awarded to the institution by the U.S. Department of Education to support the re-opening of its campus childcare center.
The grant is part of the federal Childcare Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) grant program and brings the college closer to re-establishing a critical support service for hundreds of student parents pursuing higher education in Howard County.
"Access for students with young children is a critical element of the college mission and at the heart of any dialog about educational equity," says Dr. Willis. "I am grateful for the persistence of our grant writing experts, our employees, and our community collaborators in making this award possible after a number of applications to the Department of Education. This is an amazing win on behalf of Howard County families."
HCC's childcare center closed in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and associated budget reduction efforts. In partnership with the Community Action Council of Howard County, college officials say that the childcare center will serve as an important resource in anti-poverty initiatives by reducing childcare costs, creating much-needed Early Head Start programming for youth and encouraging degree completion.
More than 2,900 students enrolled at HCC during the last fiscal year received Pell Grant funding, with 24% of that group claiming child dependents. In addition to future childcare services, HCC currently supports student parents with designated study space in the college library, food pantry access, and a growing roster of classes with faculty members who welcome young children to be with parents during in-person classroom instruction.