The Library Foundation of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is the recipient of one of the grants handed out by the Charles H. Dater Foundation. The Library Foundation was awarded $50,000 to support the Homework Helpers program at the Library.
“Homework Help is an essential tool the Library offers to students in the community who can’t afford to hire private tutors,” said Paula Brehm-Heeger, the Eva Jane Romaine Coombe Director of the Library. “We want to give every child who comes into the Library opportunities to succeed in school.”
The Homework Helpers program provides free help to K–8 students. Homework Helpers, many of whom are retired teachers, help students with homework assignments and provide skills-building assistance on any subject. Homework Helpers work out of the William Hueneke Homework Center at the Main Library, and at 19 branches where the need is greatest for homework assistance and skill-building coaching. The branch libraries that have Homework Helpers are: Cheviot, College Hill, Corryville, Covedale, Deer Park, Elmwood, Forest Park, Groesbeck, Mt. Healthy, Miami Township, North Central, Northside, Oakley, Pleasant Ridge, Sharonville, Reading, Walnut Hills, West End Branch and Westwood.
“We are grateful the Dater Foundation’s mission matches our own to help young people thrive in school and build their skills to achieve success in life,” said Staci Dennison, the Thomas W. Jones Executive Director of the Library Foundation.
The Dater Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area to carry out programs that benefit young people and focus in the areas of arts/culture, education, healthcare, social services and other community needs.
“This grant is a great fit for the Dater Foundation,” said Bruce Krone, Dater Foundation president. “A public library is a perfect location for an after-school homework assistance program. The more students are exposed to the resources that the library offers, the better off they will be in the long run. Imagine doing homework surrounded by thousands of books. Hopefully a greater appreciation of reading will be an additional byproduct of the program.”
The private foundation was established by fourth-generation Cincinnatian, businessman and philanthropist Charles Dater to ensure that his resources would continue to fund worthwhile community programs after his death. The foundation has made more than 3,000 grants totaling over $49 million since its inception in 1985. Learn more at www.DaterFoundation.org/, opens a new window. For details about Homework Help, visit cinlib.org/homework.
