Every Child, Every Opportunity Initiative

Every Child, Every Opportunity Initiative

Building a strong foundation for a healthy vibrant community

At the heart of CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health’s mission is the call to create healthy communities for every child, family and resident. The Every Child, Every Opportunity Initiative is part of our Healthy Columbia Project which is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of residents in the Columbia Borough and providing services and resources to create a thriving community.
The Every Child, Every Opportunity Initiative (ECEO) combines financial support in the form of scholarships with family-based services and supports to assure every child residing in Columbia, PA has the opportunity to thrive. ECEO assures access to pre-k education by eliminating tuition costs for Columbia children and offering tuition assistance to young adults graduating from Columbia Borough School District. These core components of the Every Child Every Opportunity program also incorporate family-focused support services designed to enhance economic stability and increase opportunities available to Columbia families.

The core components of the Every Child Every Opportunity initiative include:

Pre-K For All

Quality early childhood education and experiences lead to lasting positive impacts for children, families and communities – we believe every child should have access to quality Pre-K education. The Pre-K for All program prioritizes the growth and development of children ensuring access to quality Pre-K education for all children in the Columbia Borough. The Pre-K for All program provides all families in Columbia Borough – with children age four through the start of kindergarten – the ability to enroll and participate in a licensed Pre-K program of their choosing. The program is open to all families residing in Columbia Borough, and there are no income requirements to participate. Rather than reducing or sharing costs this program seeks to eliminate all Pre-K tuition for every family that participates. The program will support at least 20 families in the initial enrollment period and will increase the number of participating families as additional funds are secured.

Information for families interested in participating:

• Families must reside in Columbia Borough (17512) and have lived in the Borough for at least one year from date of application
• Each child (age 4 through kindergarten attendance) in a family is eligible for an annual scholarship of $9,720
• Contact Kelsey Miller, 717-397-7625, for a list of eligible Pre-K programs or to start the process of approving a new program
• Complete Program Application (click here) and return by mail to:
  Healthy Columbia
  401 Locust St.
  Columbia, PA 17512

Columbia Futures Scholarship

We recognize the important role post-secondary education and training play in the prosperity of individuals and families, as well as the larger community’s ability to thrive. The unfortunate reality is that these opportunities can be limited due to the burdensome cost of continuing education. Investments in post-secondary education and training pay tremendous dividends for each one of us, both now and into the future – together we all benefit.

The Columbia Futures Scholarship program supports and encourages life-long residents of Columbia, graduating from Columbia Borough School District, to pursue higher learning and technical training. The program provides students who successfully complete all grades at the Columbia Borough School District with a $5,000 Scholarship to support their pursuit of post-secondary education and training provided by colleges, universities and trade schools.

Up to 10 scholarships will be awarded in the spring of 2021 with the number of scholarships increasing in future years as additional funds are secured. Application information will be posted on the CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health website (www.stjosephchildrenshealth.org) in early spring 2021 and applications will be accepted on first-come, first-served basis.

Funding for the ECEO Initiative

In addition to financial and personnel investments by CHI St. Joseph Children’s Health, Every Child Every Opportunity is funded in part by an initial grant of over $450,000 from the Mission and Ministry Fund of Common Spirit Health/Catholic Health Initiatives. The three-year grant supports the Pre-K for All elements of the project. As additional support is secured the program will expand to offer Pre-K at no cost to the family for all children in Columbia Borough and Columbia Future Scholarships will be available to all eligible seniors graduating from Columbia Borough School District.

Interested in supporting ECEO and making a long-term positive impact in the lives of children and families in the Columbia Borough? Donate by visiting stjosephchildrenshealth.org/donateeverychild.