JCPenney Afterschool Fund Provides Grants to Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove
 

MEDIA CONTACTS:
 

Lisa Proctor, Vice President, JCPenney Afterschool Fund; (972) 431-1345; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Amie Lynch, Coordinator, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, (714) 683-6927, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Garden Grove, CA (November 3, 2009) - The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is awarding grants to Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove in an effort to increase access for youth currently without access - or on the verge of losing access - to after school programs due to a lack of financial resources. Recent studies show that 14.3 million children in the U.S. are unsupervised between the hours and 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day. These grants will allow children, who could otherwise be at risk for destructive behavior, access to safe, enriching and educational after school programs.

Funds from the grants will cover the expens of attending a club, including staff supervision by full-time, trained youth development professionals; exposure to tried and proven programs; access to community service initiatives; transportation; snacks; and time spent in a safe, "up-to-code", youth-centric building.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has received funding and support from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund for over ten years. High-quality after school programs keep children safe and produce life-changing, lasting benefits, including healthier lifestyles, improved social skills and enhanced academic performance. In its continuing effort to ensure that every child in America has access to quality after-school programs, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund has given $1.5M to Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the 2009 - 2010 school year.
 

ABOUT THE JCPENNEY AFTERSCHOOL FUND

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a charitable organization committed to providing children with access to high-quality afterschool programs. The Fund’s contributions allow for the continuance and growth of afterschool programs aimed at the academic, physical, and social development of children throughout the U.S. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund also works to raise awareness of the benefits of afterschool programming, and is committed to ensuring that every child has access to the world of opportunities that awaits them after school.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE

For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (www.bgcgg.org) have been changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through after-school programs, family support and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place For Kids, our 57 program sites serve over 5,000 young people from "Diapers to Diplomas," ages 18 months-18 years old, every day.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, REACH For Literacy, Family & Youth Outreach Program (FYOP), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), and the Truancy Reduction Program (TRC) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.