Zachary resident, Pheriche Perkins was recently honored by Business Report's 40 under 40.  As Executive Director of Pointe Coupée Early Childhood Coalition, Perkins heads an initiative to bring high quality early childhood education to Pointe Coupée Parish.

The Coalition strives to "ensure that all birth to four-year-old children in Pointe Coupée Parish have access to the highest-quality early childhood developmental and educational programs so all are ready for school."

That's a big goal, but one that Perkins is passionate about achieving. As Executive Director, she has a role in all parts of the operation, but she's especially passionate about making connections with local business leaders and encouraging them to donate directly to Early Childhood Education through the School Readiness Tax Credit. 

This tax credit is fully refundable and allows businesses and individuals to donate up to $5000 to the coalition each year. This money gets used immediately right here in our area. "A two-thousand-dollar donation supports a month of teacher training," explains Perkins, "and five thousand dollars could give two children access to a high-quality educational program."

Being recognized by 40 under 40 is just the latest in a line of honors for Perkins and the PCECC. They were recognized by PC Chamber of Commerce as Non-Profit of the year in 2023 and Business of the Year in 2024. They were also honored by United Way's Impact Award in 2022 and received a 100K grant for teacher retention from Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. 

"I'm honored to have this platform to tell people about our Coalition and the work we do to provide every child in the Parish the opportunity to receive the type of early childhood education. This is really a workforce solution that spans two generations. We support parents, children, and the teachers who serve them. If you're looking for a big return on investment, this is it."