New York Life Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to two Westbrook-based nonprofits, My Place Teen Center and Intercultural Community Center.
The grant is one of 26 made to youth development organizations nationwide by the foundation.
The grant will support “out-of-school-time” programs to help middle school students transition to ninth grade, according to a news release.
My Place Teen Center works to provide a safe haven for youth ages 10-18, offering free after-school meals, resources and support. Intercultural Community Center’s mission is to improve the lives of immigrants through health, social and educational opportunities.
The New York Life Foundation in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance announced the grant.
The awardees help underserved youth in 18 states. The grants mark the third year of awards made under the foundation’s Aim High education initiative. Altogether, this year’s grants bring the total awarded under the program to $3.45 million.
“The support from the New York Life Foundation will have a profound impact on the children in our community,” My Place Teen Center’s CEO and president, Donna Dwyer, said in the release. “The support will enable us to continue the year-round goal of providing comprehensive programming during a critical time when some youth face the prospect of having nothing to do and lack safe, stable choices.”
Research has shown that for underserved students, additional learning time in after-school, expanded day and summer programs leads to greater academic achievement, better school attendance and more engaged students. The transition from eighth to ninth grade is particularly critical to student success.
In May, My Place Teen Center announced its plans to launch a $6.5 million capital campaign to open a second teen center in Biddeford in July 2020.
