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$25,000 Grant From jcpenney Helps Children in the Miami Valley Participate in YMCA Afterschool Programs

15 January 2013

$25,000 Grant From jcpenney Helps Children in the Miami Valley Participate in YMCA Afterschool Programs

Dayton, OH [01/15/13] The YMCA of Greater Dayton has received a $25,000 grant from jcp cares, jcpenney’s new charitable giving program, to provide school-aged children with financial assistance to attend afterschool programs at the Y. This gift provides children in Dayton, Kettering, West Carrollton, Fairborn and the Eaton communities, who otherwise could not afford to participate, with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that cultivate the values, relationships and skills kids need to thrive. Each YMCA location received $5,000 towards the programs.

According to the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness advocacy organization, 15.1 million U.S. children are left unsupervised after 3 p.m. during the school year. Studies show participation in afterschool programs helps boost school attendance and academic performance and reduces gaps in academic achievement among children from disadvantaged households.

“As a company founded on the Golden Rule, jcpenney has a strong legacy of giving back,” said Miki Woodard, president of jcp cares and vice president of philanthropy at jcpenney. “We are firmly committed to organizations like the Y, which truly make a difference in their communities.”

The YMCA of Greater Dayton sees the benefits of this collaboration first-hand.  “The support of jcpenney enhances our efforts to serve as many children as possible with meaningful, high-quality afterschool programming,” says Tim Helm, President/CEO of the YMCA of Greater Dayton.  “By working together we can not only keep children safer, but also help provide them with lasting benefits, including healthier lifestyles, improved social skills and an enhanced academic performance.”  

In the Miami Valley, the YMCA of Greater Dayton serves 650 children in afterschool programs.

In addition to supporting local Ys’ afterschool programs, jcpenney, through jcp cares, has named the YMCA as its featured charity for the month of January 2013.  Jcpenney team members will invite customers throughout the month of January to round up their purchases in stores to the nearest whole dollar and donate the difference to the Y.  These resources will support the Y’s national commitment to closing the achievement gap through three key programs: early learning, afterschool and summer learning.  Jcpenney will feature the Y prominently on the company’s web site (www.jcp.com), in mailings to customers and nationwide in stores throughout January. Donations will also be accepted online through January 31 at: www.jcpenny.com/jcpcares.