Preschool Open Doors Accepting Applications for Tuition Assistance

PATCH or People Attentive to Children is a statewide childcare resource and referral agency. Image courtesy PATCH website.

The Preschool Open Doors program is accepting applications from families needing preschool tuition assistance. Applications for the 2017-2018 POD year will be accepted Jan. 23 through March 31, 2017.

Applications must be received by March 31, 2017 at the Oʻahu POD office at 560 North Nimitz Highway, Suite 218, Honolulu, HI, 96817 or via fax (808) 694-3066 or email at [email protected] to be considered for preschool participation during the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018.

Here in the islands, the cost of preschool and child care is often out of reach for many families, especially for families on a tight budget. With the assistance of $11.6 million in subsidies in the 2017 to 2018 POD year, the Preschool Open Doors program can help eligible families pay for preschool and help keiki gain essential skills to be successful in school and in life.

The POD program is operated by People Attentive To Children on behalf of the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services. POD helps qualifying low- and moderate-income families send their children to preschool by providing child care subsidies to the family. Priority is given to children with special needs or at-risk factors. Household size and monthly gross income are also used to determine priority enrollments. Eligible families are encouraged to apply.

Families with children born between Aug. 1, 2012 and July 31, 2013 may apply for POD program participation during the 2017 to 2018 POD year.

Applications are available for download in English from the PATCH website: www.patchhawaii.org. You can also call (808) 791-2130 on Oʻahu, or 1-800-746-5620 Toll-Free from Neighbor Islands to request an application by mail.

PATCH is a Hawaii nonprofit whose mission is to support and improve the quality and availability of care for the young people of Hawaii.