The Early Start Child Care Resource and Referral Agency of Southeast Georgia at Savannah was awarded $761,321 from Bright From the Start to continue serving as the regional service provider for Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties of Southeast Georgia.

Early Start is operated by the Economic Development Division of Savannah Technical College and was initially funded in 2006.

“The CCR and Rs serve a vital role in connecting families and children with the quality child care in their areas,” says Early Start Director Sherry Costa. “Not only do we operate a referral service for families, but we also work with care providers to strengthen the quality of service they offer to families.”

According to Costa, Early Start and the national network of agencies have six primary functions:— helping parents find child care, supporting families to raise healthy children, building the supply of child care, improving the quality of child care, serving as a bridge to education and as an advocate for quality child care.

Early Start offers a database of child care providers for family referrals, a lending library of developmentally appropriate books, toys and materials, training opportunities for care providers and information about caring for special needs children.

The funding represents the second year Savannah Technical College was funded for this activity.

The program is housed at the college’s Crossroads Technology Campus and maintains a second location in Brunswick.