Tragically, more than 32,000 homeless children attend Orange County Schools. Without a stable home environment, these children face great obstacles to their academic success.
That’s where Project Hope Alliance comes in. The nonprofit organization works to stabilize families in their own homes and provide their children with an exceptional education in order to break the cycle of homelessness.
As part of its efforts, Project Hope Alliance recently launched Bright Start, a pilot program that will give 26 elementary-age children a laptop with Waterford Early Learning’s reading, math and science curriculum as well as Internet access and take-home materials. The cloud-based curriculum delivers online instruction personalized to each student’s abilities and needs.
“Here at Project Hope Alliance, we see firsthand the impact of homelessness on our youngest clients,” says Project Hope Alliance CEO Jennifer Friend. “We know that homelessness in early childhood can lead to struggles with academic performance, classroom engagement and social skills in elementary school. We also know that, with the support of our community, children can overcome these obstacles.”
In addition to Waterford’s academic curriculum, students will also use an inspirational curriculum with a volunteer mentor to deepen their understanding of their own self worth, grow in their awareness of self and social responsibility, and build a stronger sense of self-confidence.
And the Bright Start program got quite the boost this past weekend when Disneyland Resort announced it would give Project Hope Alliance a $60,000 grant to support its work! We’re so proud to be a part of this important work, and excited to see Project Hope Alliance recognized for their great efforts.
