Square One to Receive $500,000 State Grant

SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Adam Gomez joined the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) to announce the availability of FY 2024 funding through the Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Grant (EEOST) to provide critical resources necessary to sustain the Commonwealth’s essential childcare infrastructure. The FY24 EEOST application will award grants between $500,000 and $1 million to large-group early-education and out-of-school-time programs to offset expenses for critical capital improvements.

The administration announced that six childcare and out-of-school-time programs that serve low-income families across the state are receiving a total of $4 million in capital funding, including Square One in Springfield, which receive $500,000 through the program.

“I am extremely grateful to the governor and her administration for prioritizing the needs of low-income families and identifying the areas of support that will impact them directly,” said Gomez, a former Square One attendee himself. “This funding directly supports the most at-need individuals in our communities and will have a lasting impact for the students who are able to benefit from the improvement in space and services.”