On a hot summer day last month, Tamara McKee dropped by a park in Sussex to see the BGC Summer Slide program in action. Because she works for the bakery Mrs. Dunster’s, she toted along bags of donuts and cookies.
“The little girls were fantastic. The boys are like, ‘You’ve got donuts?’” she remarks about suddenly becoming the center of attention that day at a local park. “We had a great afternoon.”
The visit was arranged by United Way so that Mrs. Dunster’s could witness some of the impact it is making in the community through its support of the Million Dollar Pledge.
The Pledge is a group of business leaders in the region who have together committed $1 million over 10 years to invest primarily in improving outcomes for children and youth, with support flowing through the United Way.
With funding from the Pledge, BGC ran four Summer Slide day camps in Sussex, each two weeks long.
Over the course of the summer, 60 children in the Sussex area were able to benefit from this program that combines refreshers in math and reading with fun activities so that youth are better equipped for success once school resumes.
Tamara says it is gratifying to see the support that Summer Slide provides.
“I’m glad that there is a program out there that is helping families. Certainly, the kids are having a great time. The staff are doing a fantastic job,” she says. “It was really nice to see that there was a safe space for kids to go hang out and play and just be kids and not worry about anything else.”