Starfish Family Services to Host First Anniversary Celebration of Early Learning Community Program

INKSTER, Mich., September 15, 2010 – Starfish Family Services (Starfish), an Inkster, Mich.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to creating brighter futures for the children of at-risk families in metropolitan Detroit, is hosting a first anniversary celebration in honor of its Early Learning Community program on Wednesday, September 22, 2010. Starfish CEO Ann Kalass made the announcement.

The event begins at 10:30 a.m. and continues until 2:00 p.m. at Livonia’s Rotary Park, located at 6 Mile and Hubbard Rd. Families will have a chance to learn more about the Early Learning Community program during a brief presentation at 11:30 a.m. Admission is free for all patrons and will feature music by Radio Disney, free lunch, bounce houses and crafts with Arts & Scraps, a Detroit nonprofit organization that uses recycled industrial materials to help people of all ages and abilities think, create and learn.

“The first anniversary of our successful Early Learning Community program is a wonderful milestone for Starfish,” said Kalass. “It showcases our agency’s passion for the youngest members of our community by educating caregivers about early childhood development.  The event also offers families and child care providers a fun afternoon in which they can experience the joy of raising happy and healthy children.”

Starfish Early Learning Community, a Great Start Regional Child Care Resource Center, provides informal and professional child care providers with resources and training to help them provide the best possible care and to help prepare children for a successful start to school. Anyone who cares for children in the communities of Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Redford. Taylor, Inkster, Wayne, Westland, Northville, Plymouth, Canton and Livonia is invited to participate.

For more information regarding this event or to RSVP, please contact Sara McVettie at (248) 615-9730.

The Early Learning Community program is a division of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

About Starfish Family Services

Founded in 1963, Starfish Family Services is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by creating family success. Based in Inkster, Mich., Starfish serves vulnerable children and families throughout metropolitan Detroit, providing early childhood and parenting programs, after school programs, children’s mental health services, and emergency shelter to teens and youth in crisis. Each year, Starfish helps more than 9,000 individuals, children and families.

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