By Maureen Revait, May 31, 2022 at 2:27 p.m.
United Way Windsor Essex is offering a new extracurricular program to six priority neighborhood schools.
The Ignite Academy is the first new program funded through the ProsperUs Collective, a group of community philanthropists with the goal of ending child poverty in the community. The first “Cradle to Career” solution will receive a $ 1.57 million annual grant over the next five years.
“This Ignite Academy is now, after many hours of talking to parents and young people, designed to overcome all the barriers that children experience,” said Lorraine Goddard, CEO of United Way Windsor-Essex.
In addition to support for the school curriculum, the program will offer tutoring, mental wellness programs, nutrition and global support for the whole family.
It will support 360 students from General Brock, Begley, Immaculate Conception, St. James, St. Louis and Queen Elizabeth.
“Once we know our prototype is achieving what was proposed, our goal is to expand to other neighborhood schools,” Goddard said.
The program will begin in September. Schools and teachers will identify children they believe will benefit from the program.