It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. No one understands this better than providers of services for mothers and their children who are homeless.
In this spirit, HCEF provides Mini-Grants for Educational Innovation to address the educational needs of the children our partner housing agencies serve.
Since its inception, the Board of Trustees of the Homeless Children's Education Fund has been aggressively growing an Endowment Fund.
This fund finances innovative educational opportunities for children residing in Allegheny County's homeless centers – opportunities that point them toward a brighter future.
Each summer, agency staff members are invited to submit proposals for mini-grants that will help provide sound educational programming and materials specific to the children they serve during the coming school year and beyond.
2010-11 Round IX Mini-Grants of up to $2000 each were awarded to eleven Pittsburgh and Allegheny County organizations.
Allegheny Valley Association of Churches, $1823.48, for a nutrition education program that will engage whole families
Alle-Kiski Area Hope Shelter, $1995.24, for needed puzzles, books, and educational games/toys for ages 1-7+ years plus a Just Ducky Tour of the city of Pittsburgh
Healthy Start House, $2,000, for materials/tools, published resources, and a digital camera in support of a gardening project and a planned Urban Farm visit
HEARTH, $2,000, for a newscast project to include related technology, news and weather materials, and a visit to a news station
Primary Care, $2,000, for Venture Outdoors activities, trip to farm, scrap booking materials, and child therapy materials
The Salvation Army Family Caring Center, $2,000, for a trip to Laurel Caverns, Karaoke equipment, a nature reserve trip, and geocaching tools
Sisters Place, $2,000, for 2 new computers and educational materials to teach new skills like creating PowerPoint presentations and reports, processing and sharing photos, etc.
Sojourner House, $1,877.55, for science related learning materials and activities: FOSS kits, National Aviary and Phipps Conservatory programs, etc.
Three Rivers Youth – The Hub, $1,203.75, for needed up-to-date educational resources: SAT/GED prep, motivational posters, books and software relevant to unaccompanied youths, magazine/newspaper subscriptions
Womanspace East, $1,945.75, for educational materials and supplies relevant to Spanish and French language workshops, art and physical activities
Women's Center and Shelter, $2,000, for African drumming classes, Tracie York Dance, Science on the Road, Riverquest and Janowski farm visits with related pre-trip learning
Since its first grant offering in 2002, HCEF has awarded $168,425 in Mini-Grants, including a total of $20,845 in grants for the 2010-11 school year. Educational Field Trip grants of up to $300 and available since Summer 2005 total $14,272. Altogether HCEF has awarded $182,697 in grants, all funded through the contributions of individual donors in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County as well as across the country.
The children who went to Niagara Falls in the summer of 2009 did so with the help of the agency's 2008-09 Mini-Grant. They saw for themselves the realities of what they had been learning about and returned home with unforgettable memories. They pretty much agreed that "My favorite part of the trip" was "riding on the Maid of the Mist. Reason 1: We got very wet. Reason 2: We went very close to the falls. Reason 3: I like riding on boats." (The kids had all taken an extra set of clothes to change into following the boat ride under the falls.)
A mother who served as one of the chaperone's wrote: "My children and I awoke to prepare for our trip to Niagara Falls. I kept thinking all morning what it was going to be like and it never actually came to me until we arrived. I have never seen anything like it. I never dreamed I would ever get to share all the sites and all the feelings with my daughters. . . . It really was an experience that will last a life time. Thank you."
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Monies are also made available to assist with transportation costs for approved Educational Field Trips. In June 2010 $300 field trip grants were awarded to 11 facilities for Summer-Fall 2010. Recipients of the grants are Alle-Kiski Hope Center, Bridge to Independence, Healthy Start House, The HUB, Primary Care Health Center, Salvation Army Family Caring Center, Sisters Place, Sojourner House MOMS, Womanspace East, Womansplace, and Women's Center and Shelter, with planned trips to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, a Lake Erie camping trip, Beechwood Farm, Living Treasure Animal Park, Idlewild Park, Heinz History Center, Laurel Caverns, Just Ducky Tours, and the Children's Museum. These grants in support of field trips totaled $3,100.
Join with one group of moms and children for a zoo adventure.
(8/14/10)
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