While their parents focus on the most prominent concern of gaining
self-sufficiency and/or ending their homelessness, the children and youth served by Growing Home might otherwise have their educational, recreational and socialization needs forgotten.
The Denver area drop-out rate at local high schools is 37%. Numerous studies link lack of adult supervision after school to increased likelihood of accidents, lower social competence, lower academic achievement and greater likelihood of high risk activities such as experimentation with alcohol, drugs and sex. According to the U.S Department of Education, teens who are unsupervised between the hours of 3:00-6:00PM are 37% more likely to become teen parents. Growing Home’s after-school programming, Club Ed, offers children a structured schedule of homework help, sports and games, educational activities and caring tutors.
Sociologists at Johns Hopkins University found that poor children start out behind their peers and the problems expand when school is not in session. While middle-class children spend the summer attending camps and reading books, poorer children tend to stagnate during the summer. (New York Times, “It Takes More than Schools to Close Achievement Gap,” 8/14/2006). Our summer camp provides learning opportunities, a nutritious lunch and activities for fifteen children five days a week 9:00AM-3:00PM, furthering their development and academic readiness for the coming school year.
Through Growing Home’s Program for Children and Youth, children from homeless or low-income families engage in a range of activities designed to narrow the achievement gap, promote their physical and mental wellness and have fun. Club Ed, summer camp, a community garden plot, cooking classes, weekly field trips, arts and crafts, music and other educational and recreational projects allow these kids to be kids. This program grows significantly each year, as more children and parents learn about these needed and fun services. In 2006 it served nearly 411 children – a 41% increase over 2005. Over to 80 volunteers and a program coordinator organize activities six days a week, providing youth with a supportive environment where they interact with caring adults, learn life skills and gain self-confidence.
