How should children spend their after school and out-of-school time (ASOST)? Research suggests ASOST programs can provide children with safe, healthy environments where they can grow academically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. However, access to these programs is sometimes limited in Worcester and its surrounding communities. Fortunately, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) offers funding to help local early childhood and youth-serving agencies address this issue.
DESE awarded $1 million in ASOST grant funding to the United Way, supporting the organization's summer 2024 after school and out-of-school time programs across its Central, North Central, and South Central Massachusetts locations. The funding helps the United Way enhance the quality of these programs and increase access to them. Additionally, the funding provides Massachusetts early childhood and youth-serving agencies with money that they can use to offer childhood programs promoting academics, skills development, and social-emotional growth, according to the United Way.
The United Way has secured at least $5.25 million in federal grant funding to support its ASOST programs over the past two years. Edward Street has played a critical role in helping the United Way get ASOST funding, says Echo Lahey, Program Manager for the ASOST-Rebound (ASOST-R) Grant at the United Way of Central Massachusetts. Read on to learn more about our work with the grant and how it's helping Central Mass early childhood and youth-serving agencies and our local communities.
Advocating for ASOST-R Funding
Initially, DESE wanted to fund critical early childhood and youth-serving programs in local communities across Massachusetts. It explored ways to distribute this funding as quickly as possible. At the same time, DESE focused on increasing access to high quality programs from small organizations and those helping marginalized populations and black, indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) students. That way, DESE would be well equipped to equitably distribute funding to programs.
The United Way proved to be an ideal host organization for DESE's funding in Central Massachusetts. Its leaders understood the importance of early childhood and youth-serving programs in Massachusetts. They also had the resources and infrastructure to manage grant funding and make sure that as many communities as possible could benefit from it.
In spring 2022, the United Way requested ASOST-R funding from the federal government. Organizations could ask for this funding to "rebound and strengthen the quality of services from impacts of COVID-19 and thereby improve learning and social-emotional outcomes and access to enrichment opportunities for youth impacted (by the pandemic)," DESE notes.
Kim Davenport, Vice President of Initiatives & Aligned Programs at Edward Street, was "highly involved in the creation of the original grant," Echo says. She helped the United Way of Central Massachusetts submit a proposal for ASOST-R funding. Kim also worked with Theresa Lynn, the current CEO of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts.
At the time, Theresa served as Senior Vice President of Advancement at the United Way of Central Massachusetts. Together, Kim and Theresa put together a proposal designed to help as many early childhood and youth-serving agencies in Central Mass as possible access this funding.
"Edward Street was there from the very beginning. The funding would not have happened without their leadership and vision," Theresa says. "Edward Street included the entire region in the request for funding, which was vital to getting the funding approved."
The proposal was successful, as the United Way of Central Massachusetts received grant funding to help agencies that had been struggling during the pandemic provide families with greater access to ASOST programs.
"The funding has helped children rebound in terms of depth and breadth of experience after COVID," Theresa points out. "The funding has provided kids with access to programs that they normally would not be able to access."
Funding ASOST Programs Across the Commonwealth
The United Way of Central Massachusetts has used the ASOST-R grant to fund about 30 after school and out-of-school time programs in each of the last two school years, Echo notes. These programs have served vulnerable populations, including children in foster care systems and those who have parents who are currently incarcerated. They allow children from pre-K to grade 12 to access learning and enrichment opportunities that otherwise would not be available to them. Here's a look at how three programs used their funding.
Providing Children with a Holistic Learning Experience
Worcester's Rainbow Child Development Center received ASOST funding in 2022, 2023, and 2024, says Strategic Communication and Development Manager Nancy Thibault. Rainbow used the funding to partner with Snapology, which develops science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) programs to teach children through building.
Rainbow and Snapology launched the Literacy and STEAM – the Pathways to Success program. This program uses interdisciplinary lessons to connect reading skills to real world applications.
For example, in one lesson, children worked together to build Lego cars. To do so, children read and followed instructions, communicating and collaborating with one another along the way. After they built their Lego cars, they raced them down a track.
In another lesson, art and music therapy expert Kayla Daly played guitar while children played instruments. This gave children the opportunity to express their feelings through music. It also provided them with a new outlet that could help them manage their feelings, foster social-emotional connections, and build interpersonal communication skills. "The lesson was quite different from anything kids have experienced," Nancy says. "We created a safe and supportive environment. Kids wouldn't be able to do something like this in a large classroom."
The funding "has been critical to our youth," Nancy notes. It wouldn't have been possible without the efforts of Edward Street and the United Way of Central Massachusetts. "We are so grateful for the funding that we've received," Nancy says. "We're able to get kids engaged in learning and make sure every child has a voice."
Setting the Stage for a Career in Radio
In Worcester, Unity Radio has used the United Way of Central Massachusetts' ASOST funding to offer internships. These give students the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the radio business. Students may use the skills they develop during their internships to pursue careers in radio or similar areas down the line.
Growing and Selling Produce Locally
YouthGrow, a Worcester Regional Environmental Council program, received funding from the United Way to teach children how to grow and offer produce at local markets. In this program, students can earn money based on the produce that they sell.
Along with these, other Worcester area programs to receive ASOST funding included:
- Nativity School of Worcester After School Enrichment Program
- Worcester Islamic Center Marvels of Worcester program
- YWCA of Central Massachusetts Learning 4 Fun After School Program
Many early childhood and youth-serving agencies have requested ASOST funding from the United Way, Echo notes. The United Way has a review committee in place that determines how ASOST funding is allocated to these agencies. It also has the option to award partial funding.
"There's flexibility and variety with the funding," Echo points out. "There's also a lot of partial funding for a lot of proposals versus one large sum."
State Provides ASOST Grant Funding
Moving forward, the United Way of Central Massachusetts will receive ASOST grant funding directly from the Commonwealth, Echo says. It expects to receive many funding requests from early childhood and youth-serving agencies for the 2024-2025 school year.
"When we get the proposals, there's such a range of requests, so they can be as small as $5,000 requested or as large as $50,000," Echo points out.
In July 2024, the United Way of North Central Massachusetts distributed $874,325 to ASOST programs at 45 agencies across the region, Sentinel & Enterprise reported. Echo says the United Way of Central Massachusetts may receive around $1.3 million in ASOST grant funding to distribute to early childhood and youth-serving agencies in Worcester and its surrounding communities for the upcoming school year.
Help Deliver ASOST Grant Funding to Early Childhood and Youth-Serving Agencies
The United Way maintains a review committee that includes Kim and other community members and professionals. Opportunities are available to join the committee.
"If there's a member of the community that would want to be part of the committee, we're always willing to add another voice," Echo says. "We try to make our committee as diverse as possible in many ways, so that we can hear everybody's insight and figure out what programs we should fund."
For more information about the United Way's ASOST grant funding or to join its review committee, email Echo at echo.lahey@unitedwaycm.org.
Edward Street continues to support the United Way of Central Massachusetts' ASOST grant program. Read our blog and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn to stay up to date about this program and other Massachusetts early childhood and youth-serving programs and initiatives.