Blessings From Above Receives Trailblazer Grant

Blessings from Above daycare was recently awarded a $3,635.95 grant from the Trailblazer Community Investment Fund. This achievement highlights Brooke Wilson’s passion to keep the center up and running and her refusal to give up on the families who need it most.
As Tecumseh Tomorrows and local providers look to the future, the search for sustainable grant funding remains a top priority. These resources are vital for maintaining the momentum of initiatives that directly impact families, such as a recent grant that has provided tuition assistance for a family in need at Blessings From Above.
The Trailblazer Community Investment Fund, administered by the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF), is a long-term philanthropic initiative designed to invest in rural communities along the Trailblazer CO2 pipeline system. It is funded by Tallgrass, a leading energy infrastructure company, and designed to invest in early childhood development, elder care, and food security.
The Trailblazer Community Investment Fund grant for Blessings From Above is renewable for five years based on a simple annual report. This funding will be used for enhancing programs, improving facilities, and expanding access to services that benefit residents within Johnson County.
Wilson has been one of the directors of Blessings From Above for the past seven years with the assistance of her mother, Roxanne McDonald. She said the Trailblazer Community Investment Fund helped in paying the employees’ wages during a difficult month. Blessings From Above currently has eight to 10 employees working at the facility on a daily basis.
At this time, Blessings From Above provides daycare services for nine school-aged children, three infants, eight toddlers and 16 Pre-Kindergarten youth.
“The most rewarding part is watching the children grow and building relationships with them,” said Wilson. “The most challenging is the financial pressure, low funding and balancing business and heart.”
Some of the regulatory issues she has to deal with in order to have a licensed daycare facility are the staff-to-child ratios, staff qualifications, nutrition and food program rules, and health and safety requirements.
In addition to the Trailblazer Community Investment Fund, Wilson continues reaching out to other organizations that may want to help early childhood development in this area.
Blessings From Above is a licensed daycare facility and its staff are required to take 12 hours of inservice annually. Every two years, staff members take CPR/First Aid training. Wilson stated that there are several other required trainings for head teachers and directors.
“We are truly thankful for this funding and for the reminder that we are not alone in these difficult times. Their support has given me hope and renewed my determination to keep fighting for our center so we can continue being there for the families and children who depend on us,” Wilson concluded.