Austin Public Schools recently received several bookshelves for its early childhood education program from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

Through a new grant program partnership between the foundation and Guidecraft, 13 of the foundation’s Early Childhood Initiative coalition communities received early childhood bookshelves. Guidecraft generously donated 85 bookshelves, with a total value of $8,496 for this grant opportunity.

In addition to the foundation’s ECI communities that received 60 bookshelves, the other 25 were distributed to early childhood centers where SMIF AmeriCorps LEAP Initiative members are serving.

“We are pleased to be able to partner with Guidecraft to provide these bookshelves to our ECI and AmeriCorps partners,” said SMIF’s President and CEO Tim Penny.  “We believe investing in our young children is a long-term strategy that will lead to a capable workforce.”