Since 1983, the nonprofit Riverfront Children’s Center has provided full-time, affordable childcare and education for at-risk children of working, low-income families. The center provides a safe environment for 160 children from New London and Groton: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, as well as children up to age 12 who need both afterschool care and a full-time summer program.

In 2015, the Community Foundation awarded a $12,000 grant to the center’s Scholar Dollars program to cover tuition costs for six children from low-income families to attend the children’s center in Groton. Thanks to having reliable childcare, the parents of those six children can work at local jobs.

Eighty percent of the children who attend Riverfront are from single-parent homes. In all but a few cases, that parent is a single mother who works outside the home. Some are pursuing an education as well, juggling all the responsibilities of being a parent, an employee and a student.

“By giving us their support every year, the Community Foundation has made a tremendous difference in the lives of hundreds of children during the past 20 years,” finance director and certified teacher Susan Corrice says.

“Their experience in a high quality, nurturing learning environment makes it more likely that they will be better prepared for kindergarten and beyond.”

Corrice also offers praise to the Community Foundation for its strategic emphasis on collaborative efforts aimed at empowering youth.

“Riverfront is one of many agencies that is trying to level the playing field for kids from less advantaged circumstances and ensure their well-being. We know that it will take an interconnected effort to help all of our youth thrive from their earliest years on.”

riverfrontchildren.org