Goizueta Foundation Awards $5.8 Million Grant to YMCA of the USA to Expand Early Childhood and Afterschool Programs for Hispanic and Latino Families

CHICAGO, July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Goizueta Foundation has awarded YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for the nation's 2,700 YMCAs, a grant for $5.8 million to expand YMCA early learning and afterschool programs for Hispanic and Latino families, with a focus on those from underserved communities. The grant will also help the Y further develop its early learning readiness model to better support Hispanic family members, friends and neighbors who serve as informal caregivers of young children.  

The grant, to be awarded over three years, represents a renewed commitment from The Giozueta Foundation to the Y to support child care and early education programs for underserved Hispanic and Latino children and their families.

"We are grateful to The Goizueta Foundation for its ongoing relationship, support and guidance that helps the Y strengthen communities," said Neil Nicoll, President and CEO of Y-USA. "Together, Y-USA and the participating Ys will continue to focus on ensuring access, inclusion and engagement of all, and lifting up early childhood education as a key program area for the Y."

In 2007 the Foundation awarded YMCA of the USA a grant for $2.6 million to pilot the Welcoming Hispanic Families into YMCA Early Childhood Education and Care outreach program for Hispanic communities at five Y program sites in Georgia, and to conduct national research and program development on early childhood education and care for Hispanic and Latino children.

The learnings from these pilot studies indicated the need for additional supports for families and children throughout the state – beyond the age of five, and outside the walls of traditional center-based programs. Among the key findings:

• Hispanic/Latino families often place a strong importance on family members supporting one another and have a cultural tendency to keep young children at home, rather than place them in a traditional child care setting.
• Often, Hispanic/Latino families distinguish between the role of the parent (to provide moral upbringing) and the role of the teacher (to provide an academic education). As a result, some Hispanic/Latino parents are unaware that children are expected to have so many school-readiness skills upon entering kindergarten and first grade.
• Newer immigrants are less likely to have a trusted person with whom to leave their children and are often limited in their choice of informal home-care providers.

To address these findings, the Y will use this additional funding from The Goizueta Foundation to introduce two distinct yet interrelated program models designed to 1) serve even more young children, ages 5-8, in the Y's afterschool programs through an expanded Welcoming Hispanic Families program, and 2) extend support to family, friends and neighbors who serve as informal caregivers of young children ages birth to 5, by providing activities and resources that focus on early cognitive development.

To align with the Atlanta-based Foundation's goal to support Georgia communities, the new program models will be rolled out at five Ys in Georgia, and eventually expanded to Ys across the country. YMCAs participating in the new program model include:

• YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta
• Moultrie YMCA, Moultrie, GA
• YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Savannah, GA
• Athens YMCA, Athens, GA
• Rome-Floyd County YMCA, Rome, GA

About The Goizueta Foundation

The Goizueta Foundation, established in 1992 by Roberto C. Goizueta, aims to support educational programs that promote sustainable change and have a long-term impact in the community. Its mission is to assist organizations that empower individuals and families through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives.  In order to carry out this vision, the Foundation works closely with potential grantees to encourage open communication and foster a sense of community partnership. goizuetafoundation.org.

About the Y

The Y is one of the nation's leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation's health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. ymca.net  

CONTACT:  Diane Hurles of YMCA of the USA, +1-312-419-8374, [email protected]

SOURCE YMCA of the USA