 After School Programs
In September 1999, the DCF began a three-year
grantmaking program that provided funding for After School Programs
(3 - 6 PM) targeted at high-risk lower and middle school children. A
total of $570,000, representing 53 separate grants, was awarded to
programs. Approximately $200,000 was made available for each year of
the program. After
School programs have a variety of goals: providing a safe haven for
children during after school hours; offering enriching experiences
to complement the school day; and improving the academic performance
of low-achieving students.
The DCF supported programs that combine recreational
and educational activities and provide opportunities for young
people to experience success, positive and meaningful relationships,
and a sense of belonging, self-esteem and self-identity, as well as
those that promote leadership skills, personal initiative and
conflict resolution. Special consideration was given to programs
that involve or encourage collaboration among schools, businesses,
libraries, religious institutions and community organizations.
The following were considered "high-risk"
indicators:
-
Single parent household
-
Family income below the poverty level
-
Family is on welfare
-
Head of household is not a high school graduate
-
Head of household does not have steady
employment
-
Child does not have health insurance
-
Parents or children are mentally or physically
disabled
In an effort to make policy makers and community
leaders aware of the needs of Delaware's children in their out of
school time, the Foundation convened a
forum
on this topic in March 2001. It was hosted by Senator Thomas R.
Carper and featured Judy Y. Samelson, who leads the Charles Stewart
Mott Foundation's national awareness campaign on after school
issues, which includes the Afterschool
Alliance, a unique public-private partnership initiative aimed
at raising public awareness about this important issue.
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