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Ohio Department of Education awards more than $5M for after-school services in the Valley

By Mahoning Matters staff
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Organizations in the Mahoning Valley were recently awarded more than $5 million from the Ohio Department of Education to create or expand after-school services.

In total, ODE awarded $89 million in Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities grants to 161 community centers, colleges and universities, faith-based organizations, arts centers, neighborhood outreach centers and youth activity centers, according to a news release on its website. The funds will be used for “services that address the academic needs and overall well-being of students most in need of services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities grants provide students with opportunities to accelerate learning in unique and engaging ways outside of the traditional school day,” Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction Stephanie Siddens said in the ODE release.

Here are the Valley recipients and the type of grant and amount of funding they were awarded:

MAHONING COUNTY

  • Alta Care Group: Afterschool Create grant, $496,384.
  • City Kids Care: Summer Create grant, $900,000;
  • Ohio Urban Renaissance: Afterschool Expand grant, $554,839;
  • United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley: Afterschool Expand grant, $588,949;
  • United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley: Afterschool Create grant, $990,693;
  • Youngstown State University: Summer Create grant, $357,888.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

  • Cadence Care Network: Summer Create grant, $564,750;
  • Cadence Care Network: Afterschool Expand grant, $475,524.

“We are honored to have been chosen by the Department of Education to assist in this important work,” Matt Kresic, CEO of Cadence Care Network, said in a news release. Cadence Care will use the funds to create summer programming in the Niles City School District, according to the release.

“These grants will enable professionals from Cadence Care and the Niles City School District to provide timely and impactful programming to students,” Kresic said.

Mahoning Matters reported Tuesday that Boundless Inc., based in Worthington, was awarded a $600,000 grant from the ODE to expand its after-school services to children in Mahoning and Trumbull counties over the next two years. Boundless has a center in the Mahoning Valley Campus of Care, 1960 E. County Line Road, Mineral Ridge.