Wednesday, August 4, 2021
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Vol. 51, No. 6
Milford (574) 658-4111 • Warsaw (574) 269-2932 • Syracuse (574) 457-3666 $// ,1&/86,9( “ Members of the SOAR program at the YMCA are able to participate in a variety of fun activities. Pictured in front are Aspyn Wagoner, left, and Olivia Rooney. In back are Megan Pippenger, left, and Laicey Snyder. Photo provided by the Kosciusko County YMCA.
114 W. Market, Warsaw, Indiana 46580
%(67 )5,(1'6 “ Addy Haussman, left, and Hannah Kintzel share their best friend heart. Photo provided by the Kosciusko County YMCA.
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better accommodate these individuals. When it comes to those in the SOAR program, additional counselors are needed, particularly ones with previous knowledge or experiQuality, affordable child care is a growence, to assist in caring for the participants as ing need in Kosciusko County as well as the well as help someone get away when they need surrounding areas. As one of the Kosciusko a break. In fact, the YMCA has a sensory room County Community Foundation’s priority confor such a purpose. cerns, a Lilly Endowment large scale grant Rachel Hardy, YMCA child care director, was applied for and received in the amount finds this all-inclusive atmosphere extremely of $1.7 million to be applied toward child care rewarding as she watches all of the kids inthroughout Kosciusko County through Decemteract. She has also heard from special needs ber 2025. parents how much they appreciate the opporHelping to provide more options for qualtunity for their children to be able to do things ity child care is important in both supporting just like all the other kids. the families living in Kosciusko County and atA mother of one of the children in the tracting more families to move to the county. SOAR program, Elizabeth Haussman, stated, According to Stephanie Overbey, Kosciusko “Having a program like the SOAR Program County Community Foundation CEO, affordin Warsaw has made a huge difference for our able child care is integral in allowing parents 0((7,1* $ 1((' “ Megan Pippenger, a member of the YMCA family. Our daughter, Addy, requires additionwho want to join the workforce be able to do so. SOAR program, rides a carnival ride. The SOAR program is one of the al care due to her disabilities. We thought the With this child care grant, the foundation will existing programs benefltting from child care funds received from the Kosonly option for her care over the summer was be able to accelerate their assistance in providciusko County Community Foundation. Photo provided by the Kosciusko to have a private in-home caregiver, which is ing child care. County YMCA. great, but doesn’t necessarily offer many opOf the $1.7 million, there is $400,000 earportunities for engagement with other children marked to start two new child care programs. her age. Inclusion is one of the most important Overbey stated they are hoping to find nonA little more than $300,000 will then go toward existthings to our family and we were thrilled when profit organizations, such as schools or churches, who are willing to serve as benevolent landlords. This ing programs to assist with children with special needs. we found out about the SOAR program at the YMCA. “It truly is an inclusive program that has provided means the nonprofit would provide the building and This includes before and after school programs as well as space, the foundation would provide funding for the pro- holiday and summer child care for children and adults Addy with the specialized care she needs, while also givgram and parents would simply pay the cost for salaries with special needs. Money from this fund “will accelerate ing her the opportunity to meet new friends and particiand expand what they’re trying to do and who they’re able pate in activities like swimming, going to the movies, visand supplies, greatly reducing the cost of child care. iting the park and more. Addy has been excited to go to Part of the money, a total of $500,000, will be used to- to serve,” stated Overbey. One of the programs receiving assistance is the camp every day this summer and has made many new ward child care scholarships. The foundation has teamed up with Brightpoint to help parents living in Kosciusko SOAR program at the Kosciusko County YMCA. SOAR friends. The staff has been phenomenal with her — betCounty apply for a Leap scholarship to assist in paying for integrates kids in kindergarten through age 22 into their ter than I could have ever expected. Rachel Hardy and quality child care. Parents can apply online for a scholar- summer child care programming. There are also opportu- her team have put together a remarkable program in our ship at mybrightpoint.org/index.php/get-help/family-self- nities for school-age children in SOAR to receive before community that benefits children like Addy, but is also and/or after school care at their school through the pro- introducing more children in our community to individusufficiency/leap-pad-child-care-scholarship. Another $500,000 will be used as a scholarship en- gram. Children in SOAR are also included in program- als with disabilities, promoting inclusion in the best way.” Another mother, Sheila Pippenger, stated, “SOAR dowment. This way, once the original scholarship money ming from e-learning days and holiday breaks. While the YMCA had already made leaps and bounds camp has been a blessing for our family for the past three runs out, parents will be able to continue to receive child care scholarships through the endowment fund. As Over- to be accommodating to special needs individuals, assis- years. Megan loves coming to camp every day and enjoys bey explained, “Income from that investment can pay for tance from this child care grant will help SOAR to get all of the activities. It keeps her moving and engaged with more staffing as well as discover other ways to help them others and the community.” future scholarships.”