Family Centers Launches Campaign to "Save the Dancing Dolphins"

A lack of state funding may leave 13  children enrolled in Family Centers’ School Readiness program (aka The Dancing Dolphins) without preschool services come Sept. 1.

To ensure these children continue to receive the classroom instruction they need to prepare for kindergarten and future school success, Family Centers announced today it has launched a fundraising and public awareness campaign called “Save the Dancing Dolphins”.  In order to keep the Dancing Dolphins class open, the agency must to raise $100,000 by Aug. 31.

“At this point, the classroom faces a very uncertain future,” said Family Centers’ President Bob Arnold.  “We intend to use the month of August to secure necessary funds, and hope to enlist the support of the community as we work to ‘Save the Dancing Dolphins’.”

The Dancing Dolphins class was established in Feb. 2006, and was originally funded by a School Readiness grant from the Connecticut State Department of Education.  Over the past year, Family Centers had worked with the State Department of Education to renew the grant, but recently learned that as a result of legislative restrictions, additional School Readiness dollars are not available to Greenwich.  Attempts to secure funding from the State Department of Social Services were also unsuccessful.

Those interested in helping these children can write or call Gov. Jodi Rell and ask her to help save the Dancing Dolphins class.  Potential contributors or foundations can make donations to Family Centers for this purpose. For further information contact Jim Vivier at 203-869-4848.  You can also donate online using our secure form.