Several Shreveport citizens will be launching their own at-home day care businesses, thanks to a partnership with the Queensborough/Ingleside Weed and Seed and the United Way of Northwest Louisiana.
The program was launched earlier this year as a way to empower individuals who would like to start their own in-home child care business.
Those who qualified and completed the program got everything they needed to run their own child care business – cribs, toys, baby supplies, equipment and even the 60 hours of certification training -- all paid for by Weed and Seed. They also will be provided a business mentor to work with them in their business for six months.
A special graduation for the participants of the Family Home Childcare Provider program will take place at 6 p.m. on June 10 at Sunrise Baptist Church, 3220 Lakeshore Drive.
The guest speaker for the graduation will be Rev. Ricky Moore Sr. Chief of Police Mike Campbell and other city leaders are scheduled to attend.
Nine participants have completed 60 hours of child development training, while another two have completed 120 hours of training and have earned the Child Development Assistant Certification. Instructors of the course were from the Northwestern State University Child and Family Network.
Participants are: Bennie Ruth Kelly, Rosie Williams, Deann McCoy, Kathy Anderson, Alyce Mitchell, Aleana Johnson, Lisa Collins, Inez Anderson and Freda Stills. The two who completed the 120-hour certification are Henry Etta Freeman and Shirley Edwards.