JCPenney Awards $7,500 grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central MN
JCPENNEY AWARDS $7,500 GRANT TO BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA
Funding To Help Engage More Youth in Positive Afterschool Programs
St. Cloud, Minn. - During the 2011-12 school year, more students will be able to participate in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota’s KIDSTOP afterschool program, thanks in part to an access grant made possible by JCPenney Afterschool. The $7,500 local grant is part of a larger $5 million grant distribution benefitting the YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Through these organizations, JCPenney is assisting families with children who are currently not enrolled in afterschool services or are on the verge of withdrawing due to financial hardship.
“It is through the support of our customers, associates and suppliers that make it possible for JCPenney Afterschool to provide our local youth with these opportunities,” said Craig Child, manager of JCPenney at Crossroads Shopping Center. “Participating in an afterschool program not only keeps kids safe, it engages them in a positive learning environment that helps them reach their full potential in life.”
The timing of the grants coincides with results from a national study that sought to ascertain how America’s children are spending their time after school. According to the America After 3PM report released by the Afterschool Alliance in conjunction with JCPenney Afterschool, reveals that one out of every four children in America is on their own between 3 to 6 p.m. each school day. The report shows that a vast majority of parents seek the resources to engage their kids with adult role models who help foster their social, physical and academic development. JCPenney’s continuing support of the afterschool cause is helping to build the national afterschool infrastructure so that program participation can be possible in every JCPenney community.
About JCPenney’s Commitment to Afterschool
As a leading corporate advocate for the afterschool issue, JCPenney works with afterschool organizations to increase the accessibility and affordability of afterschool programs across the country. Through its legacy of supporting youth and charitable organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Y, National 4-H, United Way and FIRST, JCPenney formalized its commitment to the afterschool issue by establishing the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Since its inception, more than $100 million has been distributed to afterschool programs across every JCPenney community thereby making it possible for more children to participate in life-enriching programs that inspire them to be smart, strong and socially responsible. For more information, visit www.jcpenneyafterschool.org. Full data from the 2009 America After 3PM report is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota:
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota is celebrating 37 years of service to young people in our community. The Boys & Girls Club provides hope and opportunity to children and youth who need us most through the KIDSTOP program located at 14 schools in the St. Cloud, Sartell-St. Stephen, Sauk Rapids-Rice and ROCORI school districts, as well as 3 Boys & Girls Club facilities on the north, south and east sides of St. Cloud. For more information about the important programs that the Boys & Girls Club provides, please visit our website: www.bgcmn.org or contact us at 320-252-7616.
To join the Pennies from Heaven Challenge, visit www.jcpenneyafterschool.org and help JCPenney donate 100,000,000 pennies to afterschool programs across the country.
For more information on the important programs provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, please visit our website at www.bgcmn.org or contact us at 252-7616.
Watch the YouTube video on Pennies from Heaven: http://youtu.be/gvegZiu3i3M
