The Carbon County Right From the Start program will receive $120,000 in state funds.

The money from the Children's Trust Fund grant will be used over three years to help operate the program.Evalynn Kuehner, supervisor of Right From the Start, announced the grant award and a recent meeting of the Carbon County Child and Family Collaborative board.She explained the Children's Trust Fund grant is administered through the state Department of Public Welfare's Office of Child Development and Early Learning, and focuses on strenghtening families; putting protections in place and building resiliency within parents, caregivers and children in order to prevent child abuse and neglect.Right From the Start, a program that teaches parents how to be their child's teacher, and assists them in identifying and addressing the child's needs.Its Parents As Teachers program is available free to any family residing in Carbon County expecting a child or having a child/children ages up to kindergarten entry. The program provides parent education through home visits, developmental screenings, group connections and also serves as a referral resource clearinghouse. We believe that parents are their children's first and best teachers.The personal connection the home visitor builds with the family is the most important part of the program. Additional materials and resources are used to enhance the learning experience of both parent and child.The Jim Thorpe Area School District provides office space in its adminstration building at 410 Center Ave., and fiscal oversight for Right From the Start, thus enabling donated funds to be used for direct service needs. Donated funds are used in a fiscally responsible manner.For more information on the Right From the Start Program, contact Kuehner at 570-325-2771 or

ekuehner@jtasd.org.