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Detroit Public TV to expand early childhood services to neighborhoods across the city

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: Marty Fischhoff
248-305-3729

mfischhoff@dptv.org

DETROIT, Mich. – Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is moving ahead with plans to take its acclaimed early childhood programs and services to children, families and educators across the city of Detroit. This work is supported by a $400,000, grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and will enhance the work of Hope Starts Here – Detroit’s Early Childhood Partnership that is transforming early childhood education and services and making Detroit a city that truly puts children first by 2027.

The plan, over the next two years, is for DPTV to engage directly with parents, caregivers and educators with services such as its Family Creative Learning and Pre-School-U parent workshops and community-based special events. DPTV will be replicating its work in the Brightmoor and Southwest Detroit neighborhoods on Detroit’s East Side, offering EdCamp and other professional learning opportunities for educators.

“We appreciate the Kellogg Foundation’s deep commitment to the children of Detroit,” said Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit Public Television. “We are honored that the Kellogg Foundation, one of our longtime partners, has recognized the impact of our early childhood education work in the city and has made this generous grant available to allow us to greatly develop our efforts to give every child a high-quality early childhood experience.”

During the current COVID-19 crisis, DPTV has been adapting its work to observe social distancing and support learning opportunities. Its Education team is moving some of its workshops and training activities to support parents, partners and early childhood caregivers into virtual settings, using Zoom, Facebook and other digital platforms. The station is also working directly with the education and cultural community to explore distance learning opportunities for students in both academic subjects and through enrichment programming.

“At its core, DPTV’s goal is to provide support to parents, to ensure that their children are able to realize their potential,” said Georgeann Herbert, DPTV’s senior vice president of strategy. “The Kellogg Foundation grant will make sure that we are able to reach even more parents and educators in Detroit, who will work with us to assure that every child is nurtured and able to succeed in school and in life.”

Detroit Public TV has been nationally recognized for its work in early childhood education programs, both on air and in the community. Last year it was the recipient of the Michigan Governor’s Service Award as an Education Service Leader.

For more information on how Detroit Public TV responded for families and educators during the COVID-19 crisis, please see the story on the Kellogg Foundation’s Every Child Thrives platform.

 

About Detroit Public TV (dptv.org)

Detroit Public TV (DPTV) is Michigan’s only community-licensed public television station and, during the COVID-19 crisis, has significantly adjusted its broadcast schedules and digital platforms to support parents and children engaging in learning at home.  With more than 2 million weekly viewers across its four channels, DPTV is the state’s largest and most-watched public television station, as well as having the most diverse public television audience in America. DPTV is licensed to the Detroit Educational Television Foundation and governed by a volunteer board of trustees from the local business, civic and cultural communities. For more information, visit dptv.org.

 

About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special attention is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.

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1 Comment

  1. Proud to see Detroit Public Television recognized AND supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and so many others. Be More than great TV. You bring Early Childhood Education into communities that can benefit the most. It’s like … PBS Detroit and the Tree of Justice: repairing the system to make skills and opportunities available to all. Great work, y’all.

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