Region's Summer Programs for Youth Awarded $790,000 by Hartford Foundation

More than $790,000 in grants has been awarded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to support 2014 summer education/recreation programs for school-age youth in Greater Hartford.

The grants have been awarded to 63 programs, operated by 46 agencies, to support reduced-fee or free registration as well as 13 tutorial and 11 counselor-in-training programs. More than 16,000 children are expected to participate from across the Greater Hartford region. Most of the programs run between four and eight weeks. The Hartford Foundation funding targets summer program funding to support the participation of youth from Hartford and East Hartford.

While offering parents with a safe, affordable option for their children, the programs also have an educational aspect. By promoting reading and other enrichment activities, programs supported by the Foundation are designed to help prevent summer learning loss by helping students retain and build on skills gained during the school year and to grow developmentally.

A directory of the programs, produced by the Hartford Foundation and Hartford Public Schools, can be found at Hartford schools and at local libraries and community centers. It is available in English and Spanish. It is available for download at our publications page.

The Hartford Foundation is one of the major funders of summer programs in the region with grants dating back to the 1930s. More than $4 million has been awarded for these programs just in the last five years.

“The Hartford Foundation investment in summer programs relates directly to its education strategy to improve education success for the region's students by working to prevent summer learning loss, which is a primary factor in helping to reduce the education achievement gap” said Judith McBride, a senior program officer.

“First, our funding increases access to these programs for many students from low-income families,” said Ms. McBride. “Second, many programs are linked to school-year or summer school programs, which provide continuity and extend program support into the afternoon.

“This year our funding also focused on enhancing literacy efforts by increasing access to age-appropriate books and integrating use of local libraries and educational field trips to reinforce the skills being developed in the programs.”

The Hartford Foundation is the community foundation for Hartford and 28 surrounding communities. It is dedicated to putting philanthropy into action to create lasting solutions that result in vibrant communities within the Greater Hartford region. The Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families and in 2013 awarded grants of more than $29 million to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.