Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. is pleased to announce the generous support of a $25,000 grant from the Scripps Howard Fund for its Promoting Our Preschoolers (POP) program. The grant will play a pivotal role in expanding and enriching the POP program by integrating literacy and reading components this summer.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Scripps Howard Fund for their invaluable contribution to our POP program. This grant will enable us to enhance the educational experience for the children we serve,” said H.A. Musser, Jr., President and CEO of Santa Maria Community Services.
To further amplify the impact of the POP program, Santa Maria Community Services has partnered with the University of Cincinnati Speech and Pathology Department (UCSPD), the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, COSTARS Best Point, and Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK). Together, they will offer engaging summer reading camp groups for children enrolled in the POP program as well as 3 and 4-year-olds from the community. The focus will be on phonological awareness, common sight words, and educating parents on the importance of home literacy.
“Reading empowers young minds, fuels their curiosity, and lays the foundation for a brighter future. We are proud to support the Promoting Our Preschoolers program and the children it serves,” said Liz Carter, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund.
The summer reading camp groups will focus on crucial aspects such as phonological awareness, common sight words, and fostering home literacy. UCSPD Master Program students will spearhead the literacy camps, providing language-based lessons to the children. Simultaneously, parents will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions led by the students, where they will gain valuable strategies to support their child’s development.
As part of the program, each child will receive books and a backpack, ensuring they have the necessary tools for educational success. Additionally, a door prize drawing will take place on the final day of the camp. Parents or caregivers who participate in the program will receive a $10 gift card for each day of attendance.
The reading camps will be held on Wednesdays, June 7, 14 and 21 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Price Hill Branch of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library, located at 970 Purcell Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45205. Parents or caregivers interested in enrolling their 3 or 4-year-old in the camps should contact Sierra Brown at 513-675-0268 or Sierra.Brown@santamaria-cincy.org.
Santa Maria Community Services is dedicated to empowering and uplifting the community, and this grant from the Scripps Howard Fund marks a significant milestone in its mission to support early childhood education. The collaboration with esteemed partners will provide children and parents with a transformative learning experience, laying a strong foundation for lifelong literacy skills.
# # #
About Santa Maria Community Services, Inc.
Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization originally founded by the Sisters of Charity in 1897 and place-based in Cincinnati Ohio’s Price Hill community. Santa Maria provides more than 2,500 individuals with educational tools and resources to build strong families, promote healthy residents, and foster neighborhood revitalization. Our Price Hill Family Centers provide a welcoming environment and the coaching, support, and flexibility to assist families to achieve their identified goals toward stabilization and self-sufficiency. Our mission is to be a catalyst and advocate for Greater Price Hill families to attain their educational, financial, and health goals. Our vision is for Greater Price Hill to be a vibrant, thriving, and self-sustaining community. Learn more at SantaMaria-Cincy.org. #SantaMariaCincy
About Scripps Howard Fund
The Scripps Howard Fund, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the philanthropic arm of The E.W. Scripps Company. With a special commitment to the regions where Scripps does business, the Foundation helps build strong communities and improve the quality of life through support of sound educational programs, strong families, vital social services, enriching arts and culture and inclusive civic affairs. The Scripps Howard Fund is a leader in industry efforts in journalism education, scholarships, internships, minority recruitment and development, literacy and First Amendment causes. #SHFoundation
CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Christy Cauley June 2, 2023
Santa Maria Community Services
Christy.Cauley@santamaria-cincy.org
(513) 557-7297