Early Learning Enriched by Agriculture Company
When Little Acres Learning Centre in Davidson, Sask., opened last October there was no shortage of kids to fill the new building but there was a shortage of the things needed to fill hungry young minds.
“When we opened the doors, we had everything we needed to start our early learning programs, but we didn’t have an abundance,” says Megan LePoudre, one of the Centre’s founding board members. “We had some empty shelves for toys, learning materials and crafts – all those things kids need to build and grow.”
Stocking those shelves got a little bit easier after fellow board member Shannon McCreary applied for a grant from ADAMA Canada’s Stomping Grounds community investment initiative, and the parents were told in April their application was selected for a $7,000 investment from the company.
“When Shannon told us we received the grant, it was very timely as we were just talking about the need for more learning materials,” says LePoudre. “It’s not just a daycare, it is an early learning centre that is outfitted by early childhood educators, and these funds are going to help them do that.“
Stomping Grounds
The Little Acres Learning Centre is one of 23 community projects from across Canada that received funding from ADAMA this year. The company invested a total of $127,000 into the 23 projects and has contributed over half a million dollars since 2018 to strengthen the fabric of rural communities.
Katie Speir, Central Saskatchewan Area Business Manager with ADAMA Canada, had the honour of personally delivering the cheque to some of the parents and staff and was treated to a tour of the learning centre.
“Talking with everyone, it is really apparent how much they needed this facility as a community and how proud they are of the service it is providing to the families and most importantly, the kids,” says Speir.
“Through my work, I travel to rural communities and it’s very common to hear how hard it is to find childcare, something that is critical for farm families who often have to work long hours with all hands-on deck,” she says.
Speir has been with ADAMA for less than a year, but in that time, she says she has really come to admire the company’s Stomping Grounds initiative and its focus on supporting small communities across the country.
“This project happened because a small group of women in a small town saw a critical need in their community and decided to do something about it,” she says. “I was proud to represent ADAMA in delivering our cheque and hearing from them what a difference a project like this makes in everyone’s lives.”
LePoudre agrees, saying the impact of the Little Acres Learning Centre goes far beyond the care it provides for children.
“All of the women who made this project happen want to be able to work and contribute, especially as a rural agriculture community,” she says. “This contribution from ADAMA is more than funding. It supports our local economic stability and ensures our children have access to this early learning opportunity that really will set the foundation for their lifelong success.”
