Saturday, February 03, 2007

Speer Trust contributes nearly $200,000 to anti-poverty programs

from The Delaware News Journal

The Speer Trust recently announced $197,475 in grants for efforts to strike at the causes of poverty and help poor people improve their lives.

The projects include:

•$12,475 to Calvary Corner House, in Wilmington. The money will provide up to six months of housing to homeless men from Friendship House's Andrew's Place Emergency Shelter. It's for men who've demonstrated the skills and discipline to live in independent housing.

•$25,000 to Meeting Ground's Daytime Empowerment Center for Cecil County, in Elkton, Md. In addition to emergency services, the grant will help support the center's workshops, assisting the homeless in developing skills.

•$20,000 to YWCA Delaware's Social Empowerment for Economic Development, in Newark. This will provide a project coordinator for a program to help women achieve success as they transition from welfare, widowhood or divorce.

•$30,000 to Cecil County's New Service Paradigm, in Elkton, Md, a program to provide affordable housing and improve life skills for people who have experienced mental health issues or homelessness.

•$40,000 for At-Risk Youth Assessments and Tracking, in Wilmington. This program of the Interfaith Coalition Building Blocks for Wilmington will develop an assessment and tracking program for at-risk youth to minimize the likelihood that they will become involved in delinquent and criminal behavior.

•$35,000 to the Sussex County Habitat for Humanity, in Georgetown. This is to provide a staff coordinator to manage the recruitment of volunteers who build homes.

•$25,000 to the Summer Camp for English Learners, in Claymont. The money will fund a camp to support cultural enrichment of elementary students. The camp will also engage their parents, adults and older youth.

•$10,000 for Delaware Futures Expansion, in Wilmington. The grant's purpose is to prepare at-risk urban youth for college with social, emotional and motivational support.

A new round of grants will be considered later this year by the trust, run through the New Castle Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

For those seeking grants, a five-page proposal is due in the Speer Trust office by 2 p.m. March 30. Call 366-0595 or visit www.speertrust.org

No comments: