For over 28 years, the PB&J program has been providing quality early childhood musical encounters that inspire and enrich the lives of young children throughout Greater Cincinnati. The intimacy of chamber music makes for an ideal first exposure to classical music for preschoolers. 

Smaller chamber ensembles also lend to the program’s ability to travel into neighborhoods to engage families closer to home.  In addition to the Main Saturday Series, PB&J continues to broaden its reach and accessibility through its Free Library & Community Concerts, new in-school programs offered in partnership with Cincinnati Preschool Promise, and virtual Musical Mornings programming.

Grants awarded in April:

Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, $35,000.  The Adopt-a-School program connects mentors with at-risk youth in a school setting.  Many mentors are upper class high school and college students.

Cincinnati Cares, $3000.  Formerly Inspiring Service, the organization is the region's only public-facing search-and-discover guide to the active nonprofits in the Greater Cincinnati region. Part of the nonprofit Inspiring Service, cincinnaticares.org helps connect the public to what nonprofits need most -- from products and supplies to donations to ways to help through hands-on or skilled volunteering. 

Cincinnati Recreation Commission, $20,000.  RiverTrek is a week-long program of self-discovery and team building for 50 young people ages 12-17 that features a supervised five-day, four-night 65-mile canoe trip along the Little Miami River.  This is RiverTrek’s 25th year.

Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation (Dater High School), $50,000.  The New Horizons Scholarship Fund will provide renewable $2,500 annual scholarships to six 2022 graduates of Gilbert A. Dater High School, which is named for Charles Dater’s grandfather.

Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation, $50,000.  A special grant to a fund in the Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation to honor long time executive director Ned Hertzenberg, who recently retired after 38 years with the organization.  He has helped the Dater Foundation award more than $1 million in scholarships, primarily to students from Dater Junior High and since 2003 from Dater High School.

Edge Teen Center, $30,000.  An after-school program for some 750 teens in the Liberty Township and West Chester area focuses on community service, healthy living, life skills and academic success and career exploration.  Volunteers are a key part of the program.

Girls on the Run, $35,000.  Scholarships make it possible for underserved girls to participate in this program that teaches life lessons and the importance of fitness using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.  More than 2,000 girls in Grades 3-8 will participate.

Linton Chamber Music, $25,000.  Peanut Butter and Jam Sessions is a series of Saturday morning concerts that present chamber music to pre-schoolers and their parents at locations throughout the region.  The program also includes free Library & Community Concerts in inner-city neighborhoods, a new in-school programs in partnership with Cincinnati Preschool Promise, and virtual Musical Mornings programming.  

Parachute Special Advocates of Butler County, $35,000.  Parachute: Special Advocates for Children of Butler County, $25,000.  Community volunteers go through rigorous training to become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs), and then advocate for foster children, ages birth to 18, who are often abused, neglected, abandoned, or lost in the child protective system.

People Working Cooperatively, $40,000.  The VIP Student Service Program provides supervision and resources in leveraging the of time contribution (3,500-plus hours) of some 225 young philanthropist volunteers as they provide home repair and yard maintenance services for low income, elderly households in Greater Cincinnati.

Price Hill Will, $25,000.  The MYCincinnati program uses music to promote social change and youth development in Price Hill through a free, daily orchestra program for students during the school year.  The free four-week summer camp program that serves about 100 young people and the two-day Price Hill Creative Community Festival use collaborative arts to build a more creative, equitable and connected community.

Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, $50,000.  Mindful that diaper need can be more stressful than food insecurity, a largely volunteer organization works to raise funds and leverage in-kind support to provide diapers for low-income families who cannot afford one of life’s most basic needs.  This grant is to support the campaign to rebuild the diaper inventory that was depleted during Covid.  

Valley Interfaith Community Resource Center, $40,000.  The Back 2 School program provides clothing, personal care items, back packs and school supplies to about 1,000 children in low-income families.  Distribution shifted to a drive-through and at school locations to accommodate pandemic protocols.

The Dater Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area to carry out programs that benefit young people and focus in the areas of arts/culture, education, healthcare, social services and other community needs.  Information about the grantmaking process and guidelines and links to an online grant application website are available at www.DaterFoundation.org.

The private foundation was established by fourth-generation Cincinnatian, businessman and philanthropist Charles Dater (1912-1993) to ensure that his resources would continue to fund worthwhile community programs after his death.  The foundation has made more than 3,400 grants totaling over $60 million since its inception in 1985.

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For additional information regarding this news release, contact Roger Ruhl (513/598-1141).

The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. is located at 700 Walnut Street, Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202.