Arsht-Cannon Fund Awards $575,720 to 24 Latino-Serving Nonprofits Statewide

ACF Grants for 2022-23

 

Arsht-Cannon Fund Awards $575,720 to 24 Latino-Serving Nonprofits Statewide

The Arsht-Cannon Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation continues its work to expand the educational opportunities for Delaware’s growing Latino community with close to $10 million in nonprofit grants over the last 15 years.

 

Executive Director Dr. Christine Cannon began focused grantmaking and partnerships with nonprofits in 2007 to strengthen their capacity to serve Latino children and adults with accessible, culturally and linguistically relevant programs. Program funding often supports the development of bilingual leaders and staff, program operations and supplies. Partnerships with and among grantees have fostered learning, collaboration and success in program implementation and outcomes. Over the last 15 years, numerous nonprofits have expanded their abilities to equitably serve their local and statewide diverse Spanish-speaking communities – improving the lives of all Delawareans.

 

“I am truly honored to partner with Delaware’s nonprofits that are doing the very hard work to provide needed and accessible educational programs for our Latino families,” Cannon said. “The Arsht-Cannon Fund has been very proud to stand with the many exceptional nonprofits over the last 15 years in their efforts to change lives.”

 

For 2022-23 –

Grants increasing English language and literacy skills of Latino adults and children:

 

The ESL Program at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior (ESL@LCOS) in Rehoboth -$28,000 to support the Director and Childcare staff positions for this large, family-focused, multi-level program supported by an educated volunteer teaching staff.

 

Polytech Adult Education’s Family Literacy Program in Kent County – $26,500 to support ESL instructor, Childcare, Para-professional staff positions for this multi-component (adult ESL, parenting, child/youth development) and multi-level adult education program.

 

Delaware Technical Community College – $5,300 (statewide) to support conference participation of 4 ESL faculty involved with the re-design of language programming to attract and retain more English Language Leaners.

 

Grants ensuring equity and access to high quality education from early childhood through high school:

Rodel Foundation of Delaware – Delaware Readiness Teams – $25,000 (statewide) to support the work of their bilingual Hispanic Community Coordinator to engage and prepare young families for kindergarten.

 

Delmarva Community WellNet’s “School Agri-Culture (SNAC) Program” in 3 Sussex County elementary schools with culturally-designed programs – $25,000 to support the operating costs for this unique hands-on, in-school gardening educational program with a curriculum that includes 12- 16 lessons/year for approximately 2700 children in kindergarten through 8th grade. High engagement of Latino students and parent volunteers.

 

Rehoboth Art League’s “Arts Outreach Program” in Georgetown – $3,000 to support art education staff and program supplies for children at La Casita Afterschool Program.

 

The Choir School of Wilmington’s “A Cantor! Let’s Sing Program” in Wilmington – $25,000 to support the bilingual Family Services Coordinator and to continue planning an initiative to increase the afterschool music and tutoring program’s access and enrollment to Latino students, ages 7 to 17.

 

Rodney Street Tennis and Tutoring Association’s “On the Rise Tennis Exposure” in Wilmington and Newark -$17,720 to support tennis instructor, office and outreach staffing and tennis equipment to expand their in-school program to all students at Aspira Academy and Lewis Elementary School – that have high numbers of Latino students.

 

Connecting Generations’ “Creative Mentoring for Latino Families” – $10,000 (statewide) to recruit Latino and/or bilingual adult and high school student Creative Mentors to implement this newly proposed model which will expand access to critical socio-emotional learning and support. Their statewide school-based mentoring program for kindergarten through high school students currently includes 1400 trained volunteers in 94 schools and serves over 1800 students.

 

Leading Youth Through Empowerment (LYTE) – $50,000 (statewide) to support the position of their bilingual Latino Manager of Middle School Programming, who is building a strong pipeline of Latino students – enrolling middle school students in LYTE’s afterschool and summer program. The program prepares students for admission into high school with strong academic programs and continues support through college admission.

 

Grants strengthening the growth of Latino-owned small business through education, one-on-one technical assistance, coaching, and professional development and leadership:

La Plaza Delaware (Greater Lewes Foundation / fiscal agent) in Sussex County – $100,000 to hire management and leadership development staff to strengthen the infrastructure of the young and growing Latino business community through business education and financial empowerment.

 

Newly hired staff will facilitate continuing education and the growth of the Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs (DALE). Since 2021, La Plaza Delaware has provided the Launcher Entrepreneurship Program for current and developing Latino small business owners with the support of multiple faith-based organizations and a variety of key partners.

 

West End Neighborhood House’s “Launcher Entrepreneurship Program” in North Wilmington – $28,000 to hire bilingual business consultants to provide one-on-one technical assistance, coaching and small group business workshops for current and emerging Latino business owners after their completion of the 12-week classroom training of Launcher Entrepreneurship Program provided in Spanish. In 2022, this program is focused on starting/expanding 27 new businesses by training/coaching 135 entrepreneurs.

 

Grants promoting the health of Latino families through culturally- and language-accessible education, support, lifestyle changes and the arts:

Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington’s “Student Services Program” – $25,000 to support Mental Health Counselor and bilingual Academic Support Coordinator positions to implement an academic support program with formalized mental health counseling services for all students (33% of whom are Latino), alumni and their families. The program is focused on improved academic success, student retention and decreases in disruptive behaviors and suspensions.

 

Amanecer Counseling & Resource Center’s “Strengthening the Continuum of Care Initiative” (statewide) – $50,000 to support the operation and bilingual staffing to develop the Behavioral Health Workforce and plan statewide workforce pipeline expansion. Amanecer has been a state leader in addressing the severe shortage of bilingual mental health practitioners since 2005 by providing their workforce development program to clinically educate and supervise bilingual undergraduate, graduate and post-masters’ students and practitioners –building a pool of licensed mental health providers.

 

National Alliance on Mental Illness – Delaware’s “Hispanic Services Initiative Program” (statewide)- $25,000 – to support two, full-time, bilingual Multi-cultural Engagement Coordinators, expanding their services of recruiting bilingual volunteers and providing educational and peer support programs in Spanish. Their work has consistently addressed the stigma as well as cultural and language barriers that reduce Latinos’ access to mental illness education, support, and resources.

 

Down Syndrome Association of Delaware’s “Bilingual Education and Outreach Program” (statewide) – $20,000 to hire a Bilingual Program and Outreach Coordinator to adapt and offer its bilingual, culturally-sensitive programs to an estimated 150 Latino families statewide who are affected by Down Syndrome. The new program will eventually include parent socials, age group play dates, summer camps, educational support and workplace training.

 

Hispanic American Association of Delaware’s “Amiga’s Activas y Saludables” (Active and Healthy Women Friends) New Castle Co – $20,000 – to support program staff (a bilingual health promotora and a dance workout instructor) salaries, advertising and meeting arrangements to enroll 50 Latinas who wish to improve their mental health and their lifestyles to reduce/prevent obesity through culturally-based discussions, recipes, dances.

 

Delaware Art Museum’s “Healing through the Arts” Program (New Castle Co.) – $30,000 – to support program operations to reach 150-200 local Latino community members in need of stress reduction and healing through a variety of creative art activities. The program works with Latino- serving nonprofits that provide community mental health services.

 

Grants supporting special projects, collaborative program planning and cultural events:

Serviam Media, Inc.’s “United We Dream” – $8,000 to support the production of a digital story- telling project about DACA and 5 Delaware DACA recipients.

 

Delaware Historical Society’s “A History of the Delaware Hispanic Commission” – $8,000 – to support the writing (by a UD Professor) and editing of an open access digital history book.

 

La Esperanza’s La Colectiva de Delaware’s Fellowship Sponsorship – $25,000 – to develop and pilot of a collaborative project that benefits Latino youth education in Sussex County starting with a short-term fellowship. (An additional $12,000 was approved for project implementation for 2023 contingent on the successful development of the collaborative project.)

 

Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations at a Library in Each County between 9/15/22 and 10/15/22 – $2,400 (each) to cover performances, presentations, demonstrations, craft supplies, “story walks,” food, advertising and printing.

 

Friends of Route 9 Library and Innovation Center – New Castle Co. Dover Library Foundation – Kent Co.

Friends of Milton Public Library – Sussex Co.

About the Delaware Community Foundation 

 

The mission of the Delaware Community Foundation is to improve the lives of the people of Delaware by empowering and growing philanthropy through knowledge and relationships, now and in the future. As a facilitator, information resource and manager of charitable funds, the DCF helps communities and philanthropists focus charitable resources for the greatest community benefit statewide. For more information, visit delcf.org or call 302.571.8004.