Teen Care Summer Program Receives Grant
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Published:Mar 29, 2007
CHARITABLE GRANT TO ENABLE TEEN CARE PROGRAMS AT
WORCESTER’S BURNCOAT AND SOUTH HIGHS TO CONTINUE FOR 3 MORE SUMMERS
Westboro Businessman Chris Egan Announces Second Round of Funding to
Worcester Comprehensive Child Care Services to Help Teen Mothers --
Dropout Rate Fell From 40% to 0% in First 3 Years of Program--
Break the Cycle of Poverty today announced that Worcester Comprehensive Child Care Services (WCCCS) has been awarded a $70,000 three year grant to continue its Teen Care program for the summers of 2007-2009. Break the Cycle of Poverty is a charitable organization founded by Chris and Jean Egan to help families move out of poverty through the assistance of local organizations that provide educational advancement to needy children, parents, and adults. Chris Egan is President of Carruth Capital of Westborough.
Break the Cycle of Poverty first provided a $60,000 funding commitment to establish the summer program in 2004. Previously, the WCCCS academic year programs at Burncoat and South High Schools had experienced a significant dropout rate among participants due to lack of continuity over the summer. WCCCS Teen Care is a comprehensive school based young parents program for Worcester Public School students in grades 9-12 that provides specialized support services to teen parents and their children. Services include child care, parenting education, health monitoring, counseling, and health and nutrition education.
“Thanks to Chris Egan and Break the Cycle of Poverty, we were able to provide essential supports to teen mothers that kept them involved throughout the summers of 2004-2006,” said Worcester Comprehensive Child Care Services Executive Director John Gardiner. “This new round of funding will continue a vital benefit for vulnerable teens and their children,” he continued.
“Over the last three years, the summer Teen Care Program has proved to be a great success, reducing the prior 40 percent dropout rate down to zero,” said Mr. Egan. “Jean and I are pleased to provide this funding so that one-hundred percent of participants will continue to return to school and get the education they need to provide adequately for their children and become self-sufficient. The Teen Care Program also gives pregnant girls hope through the knowledge that they will get assistance caring for their babies after birth while still having the opportunity to stay in school.”
WCCCS and its Teen Care staff work hard to provide teen parents with skills that lead to high school completion, help them learn parenting skills, and plan for a profession/vocation for after graduation. “The support of the Egans has helped achieve our goal of getting many young parents in school, putting them on the road to higher education and gainful employment, and preventing teen pregnancies,” Gardiner concluded. “We are grateful for their continued support and their commitment to moving families out of poverty.”
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