Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that it received a $30,000 grant from Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) for its Promoting Our Preschoolers (POP) program. POP aims to address inequity in academic success in kindergartens in Price Hill by addressing the inequitable access to education among people of color and low socioeconomic status.
Promoting Our Preschoolers prepares children for kindergarten and continued success in school through support for parents and caregivers. The program provides home-based services to families and their preschool-aged children with a focus on early child development. Services offered include: regular home or off-site visits; parents as teachers curriculum; resources and support for parenting, education, preschool experiences, and kindergarten readiness; parenting and child-group meetings and activities; developmental screenings for physical, language, and thinking skills; advocacy and referrals for children and their families; and support for families to build positive relationships with the child’s healthcare provider.
“This generous grant will allow Santa Maria to ensure that children are kindergarten-ready and youth have supports to continue their education,” said H.A. Musser, Jr., President and CEO of Santa Maria Community Services. “Santa Maria is pleased to be able to continue to offer caregiver resources and support.”
Greater Cincinnati Foundation, in partnership with its donors, awarded nearly $620,000 in Educational Success grants to 23 nonprofit organizations this month.
“Supporting equity in education is more important now than ever,” shared Zohar Perla, GCF Program Officer. “These organizations are working to make our region one where all students flourish, both in school and beyond and we are proud to help support that work.”