The Arsht-Cannon Fund (ACF) at the Delaware Community Foundation has awarded $582,248 in grants to Delaware’s nonprofit organizations that are reaching out to Latino families with accessible and needed educational programs at this time of crisis.

To address the devastating and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latino families, FY 2020-21 grants ranged from direct relief to meet basic needs of qualified immigrant families in crisis, to support for the development of innovative and sustainable programs by collaborating nonprofit partners. In between, funding has been dedicated to a variety of programs that support learning and, ultimately, integration and empowerment.

“Amid the rising needs of families and the challenges faced by Latino-serving nonprofits, 2020-21 grant funding was prioritized to our nonprofit partners who redesigned their critically needed programs to reach families safely, effectively and with love, excellence and sustainability,” ACF Executive Director Dr. Christine Cannon said.

FY 2020-21 grant awards focused on:

Language Learning and Family Literacy

ESL@Lutheran Church of Our Savior – $20,000 (second year of grant) Multi-level classes and online English instruction 

PolyTech Adult Education – $20,000 (second year of grant) Family Literacy Program for parents and their children 

Literacy Delaware – $20,000 to strengthen southern Delaware’s ESL tutoring program 

Reading Assist – $20,000 to support AmeriCorps reading tutors at Academia Antonia Alonso Elementary School

Pre-K through Career Planning Programs                        

Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington – $17,500 to support the Hispanic Services Program, a 12-year educational/support program for Latino boys from Wilmington starting at age 10.

YMCA of Delaware – $13,000 for the Water Wise Program for 150 dual language learners at Academia Antonia Alonso Elementary School     

Project New Start – $12,500 to support and prepare Latinos for employment and community reentry post-incarceration  

Arts and Cultural Education

Three 2020 Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations – $2,750 each at the Milton Public Library, Route 9 Library and Innovation Center and Dover Library  

The Delaware Contemporary – $6,000 to support Building a Creative Future, a weekly arts program for at-risk youth

Health Supports for Learning

National Alliance for Mental Illness – Delaware – $19,448 to support the Hispanic Services Initiative throughout Delaware

Autism Delaware – $9,000 to provide the Family Peer Support Program to families with children with autism

Rosa Health Center – $25,000 to provide comprehensive care including health education to Latino families in central Sussex County

Educational Advocacy

Delaware Campaign for Achievement Now – $30,000 to expand Juntos Delaware, a Latino advocacy fellows training program

Community Collaborative Partnerships

Trinity Episcopal Parish – $40,000 to support bilingual counseling and referral services for Latino families between the parish and the Empowerment Center/Friendship House in Newport

La Esperanza Community Center – $107,550 to expand the La Colectiva-inspired Family Coaching and Navigation Program in southern Delaware 

First State Community Action – $100,000 for the Sussex County Relief Program, which supports payments to cover the basic needs (food, housing, utilities, etc.) of qualified Latino immigrant families in crisis. It is integrated with the Family Coaching and Navigation Program.

ChristianaCare Caregiver Relief Fund – $15,000 to provide direct support to families of Latino healthcare providers – frontline caregivers 

La Colectiva de Delaware – $114,000 for management, operations and communications; leadership awards and Collaborative Planning Team funding

About the Arsht-Cannon Fund 

The Arsht-Cannon Fund was established in 2004 through the gift of the estate of the Honorable Roxana Cannon Arsht and S. Samuel Arsht to the Delaware Community Foundation. The endowed fund benefits Delaware’s Hispanic families by partnering and funding nonprofits that provide educational opportunities — improving the lives of all Delawareans.