Cleveland: Invest in Children hosted a Family Day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo last Sunday, August 20, 2006. The event recognizes the Cuyahoga County’s families with young children and the over 80 service providers that partner with Invest in Children.

This year’s attendance was approximately 800 adults and 1,200 children, who received tickets for free admission to the Zoo and Rainforest along with a day of fun and excitement.

 L to R: Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, Magda Gómez, program coordinator, Clifford the Dog, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, OCHLA Commissioner Richard Romero, and Michelle Katona, Director of Office of Early Childhood/ Invest in Children. Photo by Rubén Torres.

Cuyahoga County commissioners recognized the providers and agencies who administer the Early Literacy Learning Programs. Invest in Children is a public/private partnership administered by the Board of County Commissioners and committed to establishing a community ethic that embraces children, according to event organizers.

Since its launch date of July 1, 1999, and through December 2004, Invest in Children has served over 131,000 families with children under the age of 6.