Investing in kindergarten readiness
The Healthy Children’s Fund is helping Whatcom County children get a stronger start in school by investing in programs that increase kindergarten readiness. Through voter-approved dollars, the fund is partnering with local early learning providers to expand access to high-quality, developmentally focused child care.
Two recently funded programs—Cozy Bears Early Learning and the Whatcom Family YMCA—offer examples of how the fund is making a difference for kids, families, and educators.
Cozy Bears Early Learning: Increased access in Ferndale
Cozy Bears Early Learning in Ferndale received $43,500 from the Healthy Children’s Fund in March 2025 to add a second licensed classroom space, adding six new enrollment slots. It helps meet a pressing need in the community.
“Receiving HCF dollars has made a huge difference for both me as a provider and the families I serve,” owner Bella Nogales said. “Before this funding, I didn’t have the resources to expand, even though I knew there was a big need in our community.”
The Healthy Children’s Fund helped remove a financial barrier and allowed Nogales to open a new classroom and serve more children — doubling Cozy Bears’ capacity from six to 12 slots. Nine of the 12 slots are reserved for families with incomes at or below 85% of the state median.
“The new classroom means access to high-quality early learning that might not have been possible otherwise,” Nogales said.
The contract also supports implementation of Frog Street Curriculum, a research-based program aligned with state and national standards.
The advanced curriculum focuses on helping children build skills in early literacy and social-emotional learning. Family engagement activities are built in, supporting caregivers as active partners in their child’s learning journey.
“What I love most is how engaging and well-rounded it is,” Nogales said. “It’s easy for educators to follow, yet rich in content for children. It also offers strong support for dual-language learners and aligns beautifully with kindergarten readiness goals.”
Whatcom Family YMCA: Bringing services into the classroom
The Whatcom Family YMCA was awarded $506,253 to provide music enrichment and developmental services in its child care programs. These include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and support from early childhood specialists.
About 22% of children enrolled in YMCA early learning programs come from low-income households.
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