Assistance

For Our Students

Get Assistance

Our mission is to help every child get a loving, nurturing start in life. That’s why Bloom dedicates up to half of our capacity for single parents and low-income families who otherwise could not afford quality early learning and child care programs. Our Shirley Robinson Scholarship Fund was established to provide tuition assistance to community families in need.

While the majority of financial assistance for Bloom’s children comes from our Shirley Robinson Scholarship Fund, we work hard every year to help qualified families find additional resources. Some of our families are able to access financial assistance through our partnership with Caring for Kids (CfK).

We also partner with Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP), the Wayzata School District and government agencies to provide other support services and help empower families who are struggling. For more information on how to apply for Bloom’s Shirley Robinson scholarships or where to find other support, please contact Mary Olsen at 763-449-0600.

Scholarships

Bloom is very unique. We have a true passion to nurture each child and a literal mission to make it affordable. Up to half of our capacity is dedicated to children needing tuition assistance. Assistance can be provided from within Bloom (through our own Shirley Robinson Scholarship fund) or outside Bloom from sources such as County Child Care Assistance Program, State scholarships, Caring for Kids and others.

Our Shirley Robinson Scholarship Fund is named after the wife of Messiah’s pastor who originally challenged his congregation to help break the circle of poverty through the provision of high quality, affordable early learning and child care. Shirley was dedicated to children and the community.

The scholarship fund relies on gifts from individual donors, businesses, faith communities and civic organizations, as well as fundraising events and grants. Each year we must raise over $350,000 to provide the tuition assistance these children need to attend our center.

Shirley Robinson Scholarships:

To qualify, your family must:

either be registered in the Basic Sliding Fee (BSF)* for child care assistance program or have a recent letter of acceptance into the program. The letter must be generated from the Minnesota county in which you reside, which places you on the waiting list for the BSF child care assistance fund.
remain current with BSF child care assistance fund review process.
report changes in household income and BSF status to the Bloom Early Learning & Child Care Directors as they occur.
report when BSF waiting list status changes to active assistance.

PLEASE NOTE: Denial of county assistance does not mean you are ineligible for this scholarship, but you must apply. Contact us for more details.

To apply for a Bloom scholarship or get additional information on other forms of tuition assistance, please call the Bloom offices at 763-449-0600.

Bloom does not discriminate against any family due to race, gender, marital status, public assistance status, or religious affiliation.

*BASIC SLIDING FEE (BSF) GUIDELINES AS SET FORTH BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN CHILD CARE EXPENSES, ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH RESOURCES FOR CHILD CARING. PHONE NUMBER: 651-641-0305

Facts about Childhood Poverty & the Benefits of Kindergarten Readiness

Learning doesn’t begin when children start school…it begins at birth. A newborn’s brain is only about one-quarter the size of an adult’s. It grows to about 80 percent of an adult size by three years of age and 90 percent by age five.

The first three years of life are a period of incredible growth in every area of a baby’s development. All babies and toddlers need positive early learning experiences to foster their intellectual, social and emotional development and lay the foundation for later school success. Young children living in high-risk environments need additional support to promote their healthy growth and development.

More than 500 preschool age children in the Plymouth/Wayzata area need financial support to attend an early learning center.
There often is a waiting list for the County Child Care Assistance Program.
Only a limited number of additional scholarships are available through (CfK), the Wayzata School District and the State.

The high cost of child care is out of reach for families with entry level or low paying jobs. In Hennepin County, the median annual price of child care for an infant is $20,733. Source: US Dept of Labor. This keeps single mothers and parents who are struggling financially from working or going back to school to become qualified for a career path and a chance to climb out of poverty. Their children are at risk of entering kindergarten unprepared to succeed, which puts their futures in jeopardy.

Kindergarten Preparedness Influences Learning Outcomes in School

The research is undeniable and has proven the link between children entering kindergarten prepared and ready to learn with the ability to create successful futures for themselves.

Bloom dedicates half its capacity to low income children through the community-funded Shirley Robinson Scholarship Fund and other scholarship sources.
Students receiving scholarships to Bloom Early Learning are not only ready for kindergarten, they exceed standards and expectations based on feedback from teachers at Wayzata Public Schools.
Regular assessments of our children demonstrate that Bloom has a significant positive impact on the social, emotional, cognitive, and academic skills students need to be fully prepared for kindergarten and beyond.

Bloom is guided by the desire to break the cycle of poverty in our community. Our high quality, individualized, responsive, and stimulating environment promotes healthy growth and robust early learning. Coupled with the financial assistance and other resources provided by Bloom, families can become financially independent and have successful, vibrant futures.