The Granite YMCA Receives $10,000 Grant for Enriching Early Childhood Development
Posted 11/26/2019
The Granite YMCA announced today that it has received a $10,000 Grant for Good from Eastern Bank, America’s oldest and largest mutual bank. The grant is part of a $1 million commitment Eastern has made to local nonprofit organizations strengthening options for children and families across Eastern’s New England footprint. The grant will allow for classroom upgrades and redesign in the early learning center classrooms at the YMCA of Downtown Manchester and the YMCA of Strafford County.
“Well designed classrooms allow children to learn independence and feelings of competence, help prevent challenging behaviors, and serve as core components for effective learning. As we transition to using Creative Curriculum and strive to promote children’s engagement and provide structure designed for discovery and exploration the need to create more classroom centers has come to the forefront. Thanks to the generosity of Eastern Bank we will be creating 8-10 centers in each classroom to fully support the new curriculum design and help young children develop strong social skills and embrace positive behaviors,” said David Ports, President/CEO of The Granite YMCA.
Persistent gaps in the quality of and access to early childhood development programs, as well as in parent engagement, are known to cause disparities in opportunities to succeed throughout life. Without engaging, safe, and stable environments during the first three years of life, children are likely to enter school already behind. Students who cannot read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school before high school graduation. And lacking a high school diploma significantly impacts future employment and earnings opportunities. Eastern is awarding grants to organizations focused on strengthening socioemotional and cognitive skills development among children in the communities it serves. Grants are intended to ensure children and their families have more equitable access to the resources needed early in life for healthy development, while funding a sector that receives a staggeringly small proportion of all philanthropy.
“Providing every child with an equal opportunity for a bright future is a basic right,” said Bob Rivers, Chair and CEO of Eastern Bank. “By supporting organizations that assist parents and caregivers and prepare children to be ready to learn and succeed, we are helping to create the foundation children need to thrive. On behalf of everyone at Eastern, we congratulate the grant recipients and thank them for their dedication to the children in our communities.”
As part of Eastern’s $1 million commitment to support enriching early childhood development, The Granite YMCA is among 50 organizations that provide leading early childhood development programs across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island and are each receiving a $10,000 Grant for Good. These grants are focused on providing support in four critical areas: achieving early learning quality standards, strengthening parent engagement, supporting professional development for educators, and upgrading early learning facilities and supplies.
About Eastern Bank
Founded in 1818, Boston-based Eastern Bank is America’s oldest and largest mutual bank, with over $11 billion in assets and more than 115 locations serving communities in eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Eastern provides exceptional access to fairly priced banking, investment and insurance products and services for consumers and businesses of all sizes. Eastern Bank, which includes Eastern Wealth Management and Eastern Insurance, is known for its outspoken advocacy and community support that has exceeded more than $140 million in charitable giving since 1999. An inclusive company, Eastern employs 1,900+ deeply committed professionals who value relationships with their customers, colleagues, and communities. Join us for good at www.easternbank.com and follow Eastern on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
About The Granite YMCA
As one of the state’s longest standing and most enduring non-profits, The Granite YMCA focuses on youth development, healthy living, social responsibility, and family strengthening. Across the state, its six branches engage 30,000 men, women and children – regardless of age, income or background – to improve their health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. In 2018, The Granite YMCA provided financial assistance and free services valued at over $1.8 million to 21,510 individuals. To learn more, please visit www.graniteymca.org.
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