The Martha’s Vineyard Family Center has received a $310,000 grant from The Children’s Trust, a state family support organization.

The grant will be spread out over five years.

The Martha’s Vineyard Family Center is operated by Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, and offers free classes, play groups and educational support to about 600 families a year, or more than 750 children from newborn to eight years old.

For 18 years the center was housed at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. This spring the center moved to a new location on Greenwood avenue in Vineyard Haven.

Early childhood programs director Debbie Milne said the Children’s Trust grant is one of two grants that fund family center programming. The other grant comes from the Department of Early Education and Care.

“Those two grants together fund all the activities that are offered through the family center so they are at no cost to parents,” Ms. Milne told the Gazette. “It’s very exciting.”

“The family center has done great work over the years at the high school, and with the help of these funds, its supportive staff and its new beautifully renovated facility on Greenwood Ave, it will continue its legacy in providing wonderful services to parents and children on the Island,” state Rep. Timothy Madden said in a press release.

He also praised Family Center director Marney Toole for doing “a terrific job coordinating family services and applying for these grants which have been extremely helpful in supporting family center programming.”