GRANT AWARDS

The Cambodian Family
Family Play Days -  $25,000
Through Family Play Days in the neighborhood, and Play Sessions held at the Cambodian Family Center,  will increase the awareness and skills of limited English-speaking, low-income Cambodian and Latino parents, so that they optimize their involvement in the early childhood development of their 0-5 year-old children.
The organization will serve 60 families (representing approximately 90 children) to participate in the play days and sessions. With support from the Invest in Children Fund, a nutritional component will be added to the program’s already successful curriculum. 

Rancho Santiago Community College District
Kinder Connect - $20,000
Beginning Kindergarten is a huge step, not only for children but their parents as well. Children First funding will help parents prepare their child to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. Through Kinder Connect, parents will learn the steps for success: importance of literacy, involvement in their child’s education, keeping a healthy home environment, and developing positive relationships with school personnel. The goal of Kinder Connect is to empower “at risk” families during the transitional stage from preschool to kindergarten by providing education, support and resources.  The Invest in Children Grant will help fund a portion of the Parent Coordinator, liaisons, and Family Services Manager positions.

Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach
The Club Preschool Program - $10,000

The boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach offers The Club Preschool Program free of charge to 3 and 4 year-old children from qualifying low-income families.  This is an innovative program which teaches children the pre-academic, communication, and language skills needed to succeed when they enter kindergarten and begin their school career. The Invest in Children Fund will help support personnel expenses, stipends for retired volunteers and program supplies such as books, toys and snacks for the children.

Providence Speech and Hearing
Jumpstart Early Language Intervention Program - $20,000
The Invest in Children grant will be used to enhance the Jumpstart Early Language Intervention Program for developmentally delayed children by hiring a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with a specialization in Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy. Children in the program require intensive individualized assistance in overcoming developmental disabilities by means of, incorporating Sensory Integration Therapy.  The therapist will provide the parents and caregivers with sensory integration training and complementing kits to be utilized in the home. Ninety-four percent (94%) of Jumpstart graduates are bale to enter regular preschool classes and do not rely on special education in the public school system.  This program helps both the child and parents maximize developmental and communication skills. 

KidWorks
Family Literacy Program - $15,000
KidWorks’ Family Literacy Project works with preschool students and their parents to provide a holistic literacy program that includes language, financial and health literacy services.  Located in one of the most distressed zip code of Orange County, more than 95% of the students in this program come from families with an income of less than $30,000 a year. The Invest in Children Fund will help offset the costs related to maintaining a preschool assistant staff member to coordinate the Family Literacy Project. The preschool assistant will help in empowering parents to take an active role their child’s life and provide the tools necessary with complementing services on-site.

Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center
Full-Inclusion Preschool Program – $10,000
The Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center will use the Invest in Children Grant to establish a bilingual, full-inclusion Preschool Program to serve young children (ages three to five) with and without disabilities residing in Santa Ana.  This unique program aims to at teaching language minority parents and their children with limited resources school readiness skills, second language development, family literacy, arts, and music in a fun and creative environment: fulfilling the need of many underserved families in the surrounding areas.