Horizons Atlanta is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $607,408 from the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. This award, along with matching agency funds of $911,112 for a total of $1,518,120, will allow Horizons Atlanta to continue its work with underserved Atlanta youth through its proven six-week summer programs while adding staff support and expanding the non-profit’s year-round afterschool and Saturday programs.

“We appreciate the confidence and support DFCS is bestowing upon us through this award,” said Alex Wan, executive director, Horizons Atlanta. “Horizons Atlanta is doing life changing work with Atlanta’s young children and youth, and this grant will assist us in better supporting their academic, physical, and social-emotional needs during the summer and throughout the school year.”

The grant from DFCS will comprise a significant portion of Horizon Atlanta’s overall operating budget. The funds will be used to support the salaries of its Lead Teachers and Reading Specialists as well as the addition of a new regional staff position to assist with the enrollment and data needs of the program sites. Funds also will be used for the programs’ transportation needs, which includes daily round-trip transporting of the students from their homes.

As previously mentioned, the award will help broaden the afterschool and weekend programs, critical pieces of the year-round support for Horizons students. While the afterschool program provides a safe and interactive learning environment for students who otherwise might be home alone, the weekend programs are designed to engage the families as well as the students to learn and grow together.

According to information from the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network, for every Georgia student who is enrolled in an afterschool program, there are two more who are waiting for space to participate if a program were open to them. One of the largest barriers to children participating in afterschool and extracurricular programs is cost. Horizons Atlanta provides its programs tuition-free to students in underserved communities who need it most.

Georgia teachers report that when students are enrolled in engaging and fun learning opportunities, such as summer and afterschool programs, their overall school performance improves. Horizons Atlanta has a proven success rate with the children who participate in the program year after year. On average, children in the six-week summer program:

Show consistent growth in reading and math, and return to school after the summer break about five to six months ahead of where they were in May,

Achieve on-time 3rd grade reading proficiency,

Demonstrate improved social skills, self-confidence and motivation, which translates into becoming more engaged in regular school instruction and activities, and increases their attendance during the school year, and

Learn to swim and are more willing to try new things.