(Oxnard, California) – Reiter Affiliated Companies (RAC), the largest fresh multi-berry producer, helped secure funding for a new early childhood education teaching and learning center at CSU Channel Islands.
On November 15th, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin held a press conference to announce $5 million in state funding toward this initiative. The project will require a total of $25 million, with this first $5 million serving as seed money to commence the initial planning and design.
Officials said that every year, around 12,000 children in Ventura Country are unable to attend preschool due to a lack of funds and accessibility. They hope that this new center will provide a quality, affordable option for low-income families, especially student parents at CSUCI and farmworker parents.
“To see the entire community coming together for this initiative means so much for the families of farmworkers,” said Courtney Catalano, Director of Communications & Community Engagement at RAC. “Every parent wants to know that they are providing their child with the best quality education possible, and this Early Childhood Center brings our community one step closer to making that possibility a meaningful reality.”
As a family-owned farming company, RAC is dedicated to providing strong resources and support to enrich their employees. As part of this commitment, they continue to seek collaborative partnerships which support the wellbeing of farm working families and their communities.