Focused on Keeping Youth Engaged in Learning during the Summer, United Way Awards $524,600 in Grants to Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative Sites and Launches Interactive Map to Help Families find Programs for Children

Providence, RI – With the 2015-2016 school year entering the stretch run, United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) is preparing for the return of the nationally recognized Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative (HSLI), awarding $524,600 in grants to 14 programs that keep students engaged in active learning during the summer months.

Additionally, UWRI has launched the latest version of an interactive map that captures hundreds of afterschool and summer learning programs across the state to aid families looking for educational programming for their children during out-of-school time.

Entering its fifth year, the HSLI is a collaboration between Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and UWRI that has developed a six-week summer program model that offers Rhode Island children exciting educational opportunities that combine hands-on learning experiences with real-world applications. The effort’s goal is to help children avoid the phenomenon of “summer learning loss” that occurs when school is not in session and youth lack access to active learning opportunities.

“The results of the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative are changing lives; this is a unique effort that is not summer camp or summer school—it fits in the middle by offering students exciting hands-on, educational activities that make them better prepared to learn new material when school reconvenes in September,” said Anthony Maione, President and CEO, United Way of Rhode Island. “Service learning is an essential part of each funded site’s curriculum, and this year’s projects will focus on health, whether physical, community-based, or environmental—all of which helps kids fall in love with learning.”

According to research, all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, lose up to two months of math skills, while children from lower-income households may also lose up to two months of reading skills when not engaged in active learning during the summer months. But for children who participated in the HSLI in 2015, an average of 15 percent gains in both math and reading skills were achieved based on an independent evaluation of pre- and post-program participation testing. In total, last year’s HSLI served more than 1,600 youth through 18 programs in 13 Rhode Island communities.

For 2016, funding has been awarded to the following HSLI sites:
Boys & Girls Club of Newport County, Newport

Greater Providence YMCA, West Warwick

Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket, Pawtucket

NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, Woonsocket

Blackstone Academy Charter School, Pawtucket

North Kingstown School Department, N. Kingstown

Breakthrough Providence, Providence

North Providence School Department, N. Providence

Central Falls School District, Central Falls

OCYL Cumberland, Cumberland

Connecting for Children & Families, Woonsocket

Westerly Public Schools, Westerly

DownCity Design, Providence

YWCA of Rhode Island, Providence

“The Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative is not only helping kids learn in a fun environment during the summer, the service learning element is letting them understand they also make a difference at the same time,” said Karen Davis, Senior Vice President of Global Philanthropy & Social Impact, Hasbro, Inc. “Thanks to the United Way of Rhode Island and the team of passionate program leaders across the state, we’ve been able to shift the conversation from stemming summer learning loss to enhancing gains.”

Along with the opportunities available for youth at HSLI sites, United Way is committed to helping all children and families access out-of-school time programs that encourage learning. Serving as a valuable resource for parents across the state, UWRI’s interactive Afterschool and Summer Learning Program map makes it easy for families to find a program that best meets the needs and interests of their children. This updated version of the map was created through a collaborative effort with the City of Providence.

The map is home to hundreds of afterschool and summer learning programs statewide that cater to young people between the ages of 5-18, offering activities that range from the arts and environmental education, to sports, STEM, and more.

When using the map, families will take note of pins in one of three colors, each representing a program and its exact location. Green pins represent Providence-based afterschool and summer learning programs; blue pins denote all other statewide afterschool and summer learning programs; and orange pins identify HSLI sites. By clicking on any pin, a window will open that contains that program’s specific information: address, phone number, and link to their website.

Taking the map’s capabilities further, parents can utilize the search box to search by city or town, organization, or program name. Searches can be honed further, using the layer list option to select which color pins you’d like to appear, as well as using the “NearMe” feature to type in an address and view results of programs located between 1 and 15 miles of the address entered.

Parents and families interested in learning more about a program are encouraged to contact them directly to ask questions and request a site visit to better understand the program and what it offers. For questions regarding the map or its functions, contact Joseph Morra at Joseph.Morra@uwri.org, or Elana Rosenberg at Elana.Rosenberg@uwri.org.

About United Way of Rhode Island

United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) has been working to improve the quality of life in Rhode Island for nearly 90 years. Together with its partners, UWRI is changing lives and strengthening our communities by investing in proven programs that work over the short-term, and are scalable over the long-term. For more information, visit www.LIVEUNITEDri.org.

Leave a comment