With the help of funds donated by the Livonia Kids and Families Foundation, 65 children attended summer camp at the Livonia Family YMCA after summer school let out each day for four weeks, from July 6 to July 30.
The Livonia Kids and Families Foundation provided $11,000 to kick off this program this year. The foundation and the Y teamed together with the goal of preventing Title I summer school students from going home to empty houses when they get out of school at noon and to encourage them to engage in summer camp at the Livonia Y instead. The funds covered the cost of staff time, snacks, crafts, camp games and other supplies.
“This program was born out of the idea that normally these kids would go home after the summer school program ended at 12 p.m. That means either parents had to get out of work to meet their children or potentially they would be going home to an empty house,” said Brian Wolverton, Executive Director of the Livonia Family YMCA. “I wanted to close that gap so that parents could know that their kids were safe and continuing to learn after school. It ended up being a great success.”
Next summer, the Livonia Y hopes to accommodate more kids in the program, as the need far exceeds the current spots available.
For more information, visit ymcadetroit.org/livonia, call the Livonia Family YMCA at 734-261-2161 or stop by the branch at 14255 Stark Road in Livonia.