More than $40,000 in grant money will give local children in need a chance to participate in after-school programs.
The Snohomish County YMCA got $40,800 from the JC Penney Afterschool Fund to assist kids who are either not involved in after-school programs or may drop out for financial reasons.
Out of about 30 schools in the area participating in YMCA’s after-school program, four were selected to receive the money.
The beneficiaries are Woodside Elementary in Bothell, Liberty Elementary in Marysville, and Discovery and Lowell elementary schools in Everett. They will get $10,200 apiece to help about 20 children at each school, said Cory Armstrong-Hoss, director of grants and camping services at the Snohomish County YMCA.
Those children will also get $50 gift cards from JC Penney for school supplies, he said.
Armstrong-Hoss said the four schools are the ones with the most financial need in the area, based on performance and other data, such as the number of students receiving reduced-price lunches.
While demographics and test scores for the schools are readily available, he said, selecting students who will get assistance from the grant is not an easy job.
Program directors work closely with teachers and principals to identify children who will benefit the most, Armstrong-Hoss said. These are the kids who really need full-time care but can’t afford the $552 per month for before- and after-school time at their local YMCA center, said Pamela Horst-Reardon, YMCA senior program director.
“We try to turn no one away,” she said. “This grant allows us to serve more families. It really helps these families.”
Horst-Reardon said young children at home by themselves tend to get into trouble and may become victims of crimes — or commit those crimes. She said after-school programs provide children with a healthy environment and a safe place to go to while their parents are still at work. A place where they can talk about their day, get help with homework and exercise.
According to JC Penney spokeswoman Kate Parkhouse, the after-school fund will give away to its partner organizations about $9 million in grants this year to help 23,000 children around the country. Different chapters of YMCA, Boys &Girls Club, National 4-H and United Way of America apply for hundreds of grants from the fund each year.
Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
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