Santa Maria Community Services Enhances Early Literacy with $25,000 Grant from Scripps Howard Fund

Santa Maria Community Services, Inc. is thrilled to announce a $25,000 grant from the Scripps Howard Fund for its Promoting Our Preschoolers (POP) program. This grant will be instrumental in expanding and enhancing the program by integrating literacy and reading components during the summer. Partnering with the University of Cincinnati Speech and Pathology Department (UCSPD), the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, COSTARS Best Point, and Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK), Santa Maria Community Services will offer engaging summer reading camp groups for children enrolled in POP, as well as 3 and 4-year-olds from the community. The focus will be on phonological awareness, common sight words, and educating parents on the importance of home literacy. The program also includes book distribution, backpacks, door prize drawings, and a $10 gift card for each day of attendance. Santa Maria Community Services expresses its gratitude to the Scripps Howard Fund for their support and emphasizes their commitment to empowering the community and promoting early childhood education.
 
Please see the attached press release or click here to read the online version.
 
Click here for more information about the reading camps.