During the 2009-2010 Youth Opportunity Grant Cycle Episcopal Charities received 41 applications from 27 parishes. These outreach programs have annual budgets totaling $4,278,174 and serve over 3,900 youth throughout the Diocese, as further described below. During this grant cycle Episcopal Charities will award $249,100 to the 36 programs listed below, representing 23 parishes throughout the diocese. The types of programs funded in this cycle include: after school, arts & entertainment, job readiness, social justice, summer camps and teen parenting.
The programs funded in this cycle span the large geographic breadth of the diocese, broken down as follows:

Manhattan

• Episcopal Charities will award grants to 10 programs in 7 parishes in this cycle.

Bronx

• 10 programs in 7 parishes will receive youth grants in this cycle.

Region II

• 10 programs in 6 parishes will receive youth grants in this cycle.

Mid-Hudson

• 6 programs in 3 parishes will receive youth grants in this cycle.

The funding in this cycle represents a percentage allocation per diocesan region as follows:

• Manhattan: 31%
• Bronx: 23%
• Region II: 35%
• Mid-Hudson: 11%

Following is a breakdown of the grant awards by type of program funded.

The After School programs funded by Episcopal Charities provide at-risk school children with homework assistance and tutoring, as well as a safe space and peers within which to enjoy arts and recreation. These programs offer students the individual learning opportunities that otherwise would not be provided. Priority for awards is granted to programs that provide activities in the areas of art, literacy, math, science, and project based learning.

The Youth Opportunity Grants totaling $108,400 for after school include the following programs:

When children study arts and entertainment, critical thinking and self discipline skills are developed and their cognitive development, math and reading abilities, self-esteem, ability to work in teams, and spatial reasoning skills all grow and improve dramatically. Results are seen in increased school attendance and higher testing scores and class performance.

The Youth Opportunity Grants totaling $29,500 for arts & entertainment include the following programs:

Episcopal Charities supports collaborative efforts among businesses, community organizations and schools which mentor at-risk youth in urban and rural school districts. Students have the opportunity to experience and develop workplace skills and mentoring relationships, while being prepared for post-school employment. In addition, students receive specific industry learning which allows for greater chance of job placement.

The Youth Opportunity Grant for job readiness includes the following:

At-risk youth often have little, if any, opportunity to learn and develop strategies for non-violent conflict resolution while learning about the consequences of intolerance, prejudice, poverty and war. Episcopal Charities believes that promoting a society that reflects the best of civil and religious values begins by exposing our youth to the needs of others. Through advocacy, organizing, service and partnerships, we pursue social justice one child at a time. Episcopal Charities supports efforts that develop adults whose lives are grounded in respect for one another.

The Youth Opportunity Grant for social justice includes the following:

Episcopal Charities provides summer enrichment programs for children from a combination of middle-income, financially disadvantaged, and homeless children as well as those who are hard to manage in a regular camp setting. Because children from economically challenged families perform poorly in school and may receive little encouragement from their parents to succeed academically, activities such as reading and math programs for children are incorporated in many of the camp programs receiving grant awards. A number of the children in our summer camps also attend after school programs operated by the same parish, providing a continuity of community, learning and social interaction.

The Youth Opportunity Grants totaling $93,500 for summer camps include:

Episcopal Charities responds to the needs of teen parents who live with the effects of poverty: domestic violence, addiction, street crime, substandard housing, and a sense of hopelessness through our teen parenting initiatives. By providing parenting and life skills training, GED preparation or re-entry into high school, translation and immigration assistance, our programs awaken a sense of self worth in teen parents and their children by inspiring creativity and promoting healthy nurturing relationships between parents and children.

The Youth Opportunity Grants totaling $10,700 for teen parenting include: