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Released 2 October 2009
The Kaiser Family Homeless Shelter has always had an activities program for the children residing there. However, four years ago, staff at the shelter decided it was time to create a more formal after-school program. Today the new program is available to children ages 5-18 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer, and 2 to 8 p.m. during the school year. This program schedules homework times, snacks, tutoring, and age-appropriate activities.
The program's goal is to provide children living in the shelter with structure. Many of the children lack basic life skills. Informal sessions on topics such as manners, hygiene, and other early-childhood developmental skills are held. "Recently we had four children in the shelter, ages 7, 8, 9, and 12, who did not know how to tie their shoes. We held a short lesson on how to tie a shoe. The goal is to have the children leave the shelter with more basic life skills than they came in with," said Daniel Valdez, Activities Coordinator.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Target Foundation, the activities department was able to grow into a much larger space. The program previously utilized two small rooms. It has now expanded to four rooms, an outside playground, and an additional craft room. The grant has provided funding for new furniture, paint, sports equipment, four computers, and books.