Tennis megastar Serena Williams may be living in Beverly Hills, Calif. now, but her heart’s still here. She just responded to the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County’s need for face masks to care for children of first-responders and health care workers.
Williams and her intermediary Tamara Smith were able to secure 5,000 masks. They will go directly to Palm Beach County childcare facilities in need, announced CEO Warren Eldridge. “The ripple effect of her donation will impact thousands of people across our county,” he added.
Some of the masks from this donation will go to Boca Raton preschools to help when they re-open or while they’re serving first-responder children, according to Megan Kossave, communications director. “Many firefighters and nurses have applied for our first-responder childcare scholarship program from Boca. These face masks will help protect children while their parents are on the front line.”
First responders, emergency personnel, or essential workers in Palm Beach County with children age 6 weeks to 12 years old can apply for the emergency personnel childcare scholarship program 561-514-3300 or elcpalmbeach.org
Williams, who still owns a home in Palm Beach Gardens, is a 23-time Grand Slam tournament winner and the mother of a toddler. “We are extremely grateful for Serena’s generosity,” Eldridge said. “This donation will help our early childhood educators do what they do best, safely care for and educate young children.”
The Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County coordinates with community partners to provide parents with information and assistance to select high-quality child-development services, including voluntary prekindergarten, school readiness and other learning programs.
