Santa Maria Community Services is pleased to announce it has been awarded a two-year grant from the SC Ministry Foundation toward its Promoting Our Preschoolers (POP) Program. The POP Program is one of Santa Maria’s family-focused kindergarten-readiness programs that works collaboratively with families, schools, and the community through home-visitation. During home visits, parents receive support, education, and referrals for children and the family. Children receive developmental screens, educational supplies, and participate in home or group-based learning opportunities to increase their success in school and life. The program works jointly with families to help get children ready for kindergarten by building reading, language, and social skills, and seeks to create a seamless transition into school for preschool-age children while ensuring barriers to school readiness are removed.
The SC Ministry Foundation promotes the mission and ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati by providing financial support to organizations identified with the Sisters of Charity in need of support for viability and growth, furthering social justice by addressing the root causes of poverty, racism and oppression, supporting services and programs that will positively impact persons living in poverty and those underserved, and promoting collaborative initiatives for the building up of healthy communities. Since its formation in 1996, the foundation has awarded grants in support of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati congregation, its sponsored ministries, and other nonprofit organizations where Sisters are actively involved.