The Community Association for Preschool Education (CAPE) is joining forces with preschool provider Kidango to expand child care services for low-income families in Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore.

On June 24, a grant was awarded by Child, Family, and Community Services (CFCS) to both Kidango and CAPE to solidify this partnership. As a result, the two organizations have more expansion opportunities.

"We've been running programs and expanding our grants ever since," said Genevieve Getman-Sowa, secretary of CAPE's Board of Directors. "Fast forward to 2020, we are now a direct grantee to head start programs."

CAPE is a head start program that provides early childhood education to low-income families. First established in 1962, and later granted as a delegate agency in 1965, CAPE has been looking after families for generations and has four delegation agencies in Livermore and two in Pleasanton and Dublin.

The organization serves children in early head start programs from infancy to 2-1/2 years old and head start programs for ages 2-1/2 to 5. But its services are not just exclusive to child care; the nonprofit also supports entire families through health care and parent services.

"We're really proud of the services we provide because they're so comprehensive," Getman-Sowa said. "We run everything from early childhood education to mental, behavior, and physical health programs, oral and dental, and medical."

CAPE provides nutrition programs, vision screenings, and social services -- a total infrastructure of support stated Getman-Sowa.

"When we provide for families in need, we're creating an infrastructure of support," she said. "It's a unique infrastructure because we not only address educational needs and preparing children for school but we're also providing a safety net to help families get on their feet, to be more self-sustaining, more proactive about caring for their children."

The organization currently serves over 200 head start families. The partnership with Kidango will only expand that, according to Getman-Sowa.

Like CAPE, Kidango is also a head start program. They serve 4,000 children in their facilities with the goal of providing early learning services to children. With the partnership alongside CAPE, Kidango is now expanding its services to Hayward, Fremont, Union City, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, Newark and San Leandro.

"Kidango has more than 40 years of experience providing high-quality early childhood services to fulfill our mission of setting every child on the path to thrive in kindergarten and in life," wrote Kidango in a statement.

Inquiries about enrollment in Kidango can be sent to hello@kidango.org. Due to health regulations because of COVID-19, enrollment is currently limited. Kidango's website will release more specific information as time goes on.

"We are confident that Kidango and CAPE will continue to provide high quality head start and early head start services to the region," CFCS officials wrote in a statement announcing the transition. "We offer them our best wishes for success."