By Katie Caples
Community Connections for Children’s (CCC) and York County Economic Alliance’s (YCEA), ECHO (Every Child Has Opportunities) initiative, announce over $565,000 in grant awards to early childhood education providers in York County, PA.
The funds were awarded through three funding programs, that cumulatively project approximately 300 additional York County children will be served in high-quality early childhood education programs and 41 new early childhood educators hired. The projects spread across York County, from North Codorus Township to Newberry Township, Manchester Township, to York City.
“As ECHO completes its second year, we’re seeing real momentum. Through strategic partnerships and investment, we’re expanding access to high-quality early childhood education, supporting educators entering the field, and helping providers grow. When the business community, philanthropy, and early childhood leaders work together, we can strengthen the workforce, support families, and build a more resilient economy for York County,”
said Katie Caples, ECHO Director.
ECHO Innovation Grants
Available through Community Connections for Children, 10 early childhood education providers have been selected to receive a total of $441,549.11 in grants, funded by private dollars through ECHO, for innovative projects that expand the number of children and families served and increase the quality of care and education provided.
- Alisha’s Little Rascals – York Township
- BabyDumplin – West Manchester Township
- iCare Youniversity – York City
- Laugh and Learn Early Development Center – Manchester Township
- Little Bug Learning – Springettsbury Township
- Munchkin Meadow – Newberry Township
- St. Paul’s Chapel Daycare – York Township
- TLC for Youth – North Codorus Township
- YMCA of the Roses – Spring Grove
- York Jewish Community Center Gan Rimon Campus – Springfield Township
This grant program awarded grants ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 to DHS Certified family, group, and center providers and Pre-K Counts grantees located in York County.
BLOOM Start-Up Child Care Forgivable Loans
Available through the BLOOM Business Empowerment Center, a program of the YCEA , five start up small businesses have been selected to receive a total of $120,000, funded by private dollars through ECHO, for new PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Certified early childhood education businesses across York County.
- Rosy Goris Daycare – York City
- Twinkle&Shine 24/7 LLC – Springettsbury Township
- True’s Little Treasures – Penn Township
- Jennifer Addo Family Child Care LLC – Newberry Township
- The Marie Elizabeth Early Learning Center – York City
This program awarded forgivable loans of up to $20,000 for new home-based providers and up to $40,000 for new center-based providers located in York County.
A new round of ECHO Innovation and BLOOM Start Up early childhood education funding will open on May 4, 2026.
ECHO Professional Development Mini Grant Grants
Available through Community Connections for Children, in the second round, this mini grant program awarded three early childhood educators at two locations, a total of $6,000 through ECHO as they build professional skills, network with peers, and increase knowledge.
- Punkin Patch Childcare – Red Lion
- TLC for Youth – North Codorus Township
This program awards up to $2,000 for educators to attend select regional and national conferences, training, or advocacy opportunities, increasing the quality of education and expanding access to national best practices in early childhood education.
Applications are currently open through March 18 for a new round of ECHO Professional Development funding.
ECHO Teacher Aide Program
An early learning apprenticeship pathway designed for individuals new to the early childhood education field, the ECHO Teacher Aide Program is launching its fourth cohort. Participants are paired with experienced educators who serve as mentors while completing Child Development Associate (CDA) credential training. Applications are currently open through March 13 for the first ever virtual cohort, allowing participants to complete coursework outside of work hours.
CDA training is offered in partnership with HACC. Through grant funding, participating providers receive salary reimbursement for the teacher aide position, and both the teacher aide and mentor teacher receive stipends. The program also provides wraparound support to help participants successfully complete their credential.
For the first time, the program is also available to BLOOM forgivable loan recipients working toward DHS certification and home-based providers pursuing their CDA credential, who receive the educational component at no cost and a stipend upon certification.
CCC is now certified by the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Office (ATO) to offer a Registered Apprenticeship pathway through the Teacher Aide Program. This designation expands access to public funding for participant education and strengthens support for educators entering the early childhood workforce.
For details on all programs highlighted, visit https://echoyork.org/
Cumulative ECHO Impact
Since launching in 2024, ECHO has invested over $3.4 million in scalable solutions to strengthen York County’s early childhood education system, resulting in measurable progress for children, families, and the workforce:
- 1,689 new child care slots created
- 308 early childhood educators hired or entering the workforce
- 24 providers launched
ECHO was created in 2024 in direct response to the crisis in early childhood education faced in York County, our Commonwealth, and our Nation. Current providers are operating on average at 85% of typical enrollment due to teacher and workforce shortages. Early childhood education program waitlists average 50-75 children, and many have stopped adding to their lists.
According to Ready Nation, the annual cost of the childcare crisis in Pennsylvania is $6.65 billion and growing. And 54% of employers in PA said one of the most significant reasons they lost employees was due to childcare issues. According to American Progress, in Pennsylvania, 57 percent of all residents live in a childcare desert, defined as an area where there are more than three times as many children as licensed childcare slots.
ECHO is administered by Community Connection for Children (CCC) and the York County Economic Alliance (YCEA) with philanthropic support from J. William Warehime Foundation, Powder Mill Foundation, WellSpan Health, Kinsley Foundation, United Way of York County, and York County Community Foundation.
For more information about ECHO, visit www.echoyork.org or contact Katie Caples at kcaples@cccforpa.org or 717-714-8561.
