Cordish Family Foundation Makes Lead Gift For New Judy Center In Baltimore City

BALTIMORE, Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cordish Family Foundation announced today a lead grant for the creation of a new Judy Center in Baltimore City, Maryland.  The Cordish Family Foundation's grant will be made through and administered by Baltimore Community Foundation.

Judy Centers, first established in 2000, prepare at-risk children for school by coordinating and integrating services for children and families from a diverse group of non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private providers.  In Baltimore City, these interventions are particularly vital, as less than half of all Baltimore's kindergartners enter school ready to learn.

The Cordish Family Foundation's grant will be part of a suite of five new Judy Centers that are planned to open next month. 

"We could not be more proud of this grant on behalf of our family's foundation," said Cordish Family Foundation Trustee Jonathan Cordish.  "I live and work in Baltimore City, and this is an opportunity, at a critical time, to help its at-risk children get the services they need to succeed in their critical early years in school."

About The Cordish Family Foundation

The Cordish Family Foundation, Inc. is the private family foundation of the Cordish family of Baltimore, Maryland, who are also the founders of The Cordish Companies of Baltimore.  It pursues a range of philanthropic giving, with a particular focus on established programs that serve at-risk youth and education.

About The Judy Centers 

The Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program was established in July 2000 through Senate Bill 793.  As a result of this legislation, the Maryland General Assembly established the Judith P Hoyer Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Centers (the Judy Centers).  The Maryland State Judy Centers were designed to provide a comprehensive set of services for at-risk children birth through age five and their families. Judy Centers are located in or affiliated with elementary schools and provide full-day, full-year services. Services were designed to foster a child's readiness for school. 

Judy Centers prepare children for school by coordinating and integrating services for children and families from a diverse group of non-profit organizations, government agencies, and private providers to support young children's social, emotional, language, literacy, cognitive, physical and motor skills development.  Services for children and their families at existing Judy Centers include pre-kindergarten and kindergarten; vision, dental, hearing and mental health screenings; playgroups and summer programs for preschool children, training for home-based childcare providers and family education programs.

In Baltimore City, these interventions are particularly vital as less than half of all Baltimore's kindergartners enter school ready to learn.

About The Baltimore Community Foundation

The Baltimore Community Foundation is a collection of hundreds of philanthropic funds which are used in a variety of ways to provide support for organizations doing good work and students who show promise.  Its action agenda organizes grants, initiatives and advocacy around a vision of a Baltimore with a growing economy, where all have the opportunity to thrive.  It focuses its   discretionary resources in two areas: education and neighborhoods. 

BCF also distributes grants through a number of special grant programs.

Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150819/259687 

SOURCE The Cordish Companies