Comcast Foundation awarded a $1,500 grant to YWCA Hartford Region's Elmwood Early Learning Center in West Hartford. The grant will be used to promote literacy by providing tools for parents to engage their children in reading at home with take home learning packs that contain books, writing implements, activity prompts and journals. Statistics show that parents who read regularly to their children promote positive attitudes toward reading and writing.  

The learning packs – available in English and Spanish – are designed to help parents and children with activities that stimulate learning and reinforce lessons learned in the classroom. Training will be provided to parents on effective ways to use the packets. 

YWCA has been a child care provider for over 100 years and offers quality, affordable early learning, and before and after school programs. The Elmwood Early Learning Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is one of three early learning and 14 before and after school programs operated by the YWCA Hartford Region.  

Pictured with the children holding a thank you poster are, from left, Deb Coleman, YWCA site manager, Elmwood Early Learning Center; Kristen L. Roberts, Comcast senior director of community and public relations; Brad E. Palazzo, Comcast Western New England region community relations manager; Jane Barter, parent; and Maggie Sullivan, parent,