Whiz Kids began in 2005 with three locations and 125 students.  The program's partnership model and ability to improve reading levels spurred growth across the city.  Next school year, Whiz Kids will serve 400 children at 29 different locations, partnering with 26 public school districts.  The program is offered free of charge to schools, children, and their families.

City Gospel Mission is celebrating 100 years of service this year to the Cincinnati community.  Founded in 1924 by James N. Gamble of Procter and Gamble, people experiencing poverty and homelessness are empowered to “break the cycle of poverty and despair ... one life at a time.”

Grants made in March:

ArtWorks, $30,000.  The Youth Employment Program employs diverse teams of youth, ages 14-24, and helps over 200 young people build 21st century career-readiness skills through hands-on, engaging projects. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, $35,000.   The Adopt-a-School program connects mentors with over 300 at-risk youth in a school setting.  Many mentors are upper class high school and college students.

Camp Joy Foundation, $30,000.  Underserved youth camp programming offers young p[eople the opportunity to develop essential life skills, enhance self-esteem, elevate well-being, foster leadership and develop social skills , nurture self-identity, build resilience and increase academic exposure.  Camp Joy partners with 28 local children’s advocacy agencies.

Cancer Family Care, $25,000.  Treehouse Children's Services is a core program offered free for youth ages four through 18 who are coping with their own diagnosis, a loved one’s cancer diagnosis or the death of a loved one from cancer.

Cincinnati Landmark Productions/Madcap Puppets, $25,000.  Madcap Puppets uses giant puppets and professional actors to create an innovative and exciting concept of puppetry that allows all the elements of theatre to be combined in an artistic and educational performance.

Cincinnati Museum Center, $40,000.  STEAMing Ahead with Children’s Learning focuses on enhancing skills in high-demand areas through programs such as Programs on Wheels, museum camps, digital programming, STEM Girls, food science experiences and onsite field trips. 

Cincinnati Observatory Center, $20,000.  A Youth Outreach Program reaches more than 14,000 students annually who visit on school field trips or at other times throughout the year.

Cincinnati Works, $30,000.  The Job Readiness program assists over 800 at risk young adults in identifying their strengths and skills, and then moving forward with specific goals and strategies toward employment and economic self-sufficiency.

CISE (Catholic Inner City Education Fund), $60,000.  The CISE/Friars Club After-school Study and Sports Program provides a stable, structured environment in which students are able to complete homework assignments and then participate in a sports program. They learn respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and team building while developing good habits for a lifetime.

City Gospel Mission, $30,000.  See above.

Civic Garden Center, $25,000.  The Youth Education Program enables young people to foster an appreciation and respect for nature and the environment, understand where food comes from, and engage in healthy, outside activity.  Offsite programs at schools and during the summer at community gardens are outreach components of the program.

Crayons to Computers, $35,000.  Geral Operating Support helps provide access to school supplies, which are incentive and enhancement items to teachers at schools where 55%  or more of the student population benefit from the free or reduced-cost lunch program.  Teachers access supplies through a Teacher Resource Venter, online ordering, and Hubbard’s Cupboards.

Family Nurturing Center, $30,000.  The Kids on the Block program offers a comprehensive approach to educate children and adults on the issues of child abuse, increasing public awareness about the problem and equipping children with the skills to recognize and report child abuse. Kids on the Block is seen by thousands of children, parents and educators at over 100 performances annually.

First Tee of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, $25,000. Free outreach programming through an in-school program and at other locations enables over 20,000 young people to benefit from educational programs that strengthen character, instill life enhancing values, and promote fitness and healthy choices.

Found House Interfaith Housing Network, $30,000.  Family Emergency Shelter combines community support with professional services to provide emergency shelter to families experiencing homelessness.  A family’s average length of stay is about 73 days and includes overnight shelter, three meals a day, and a case plan to transition to permanent housing.

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.

Great Parks Forever, $25,000.  Nature Interpreter-led educational opportunities are offered free or at a reduced rate both in and out of school settings with a focus on conservation and the natural world.  More then 5,000 young people participated in the 2023 Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo and Urban Thrive Festival. 

Inter Parish Ministry, $50,000.  Drive-through food pantries and mobile pantries as well as a new 12,000 square foot consolidated pantry site and distribution center help IPM deal with increased demand and post-pandemic food insecurity issues.  More than one million pounds of food is dispenses annually.

iSPACE, $25,000.  The 150 Classes Project provides subsidies to schools and organizations that would not otherwise have the opportunity to access high quality, engaging and effective STEM programs.

Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, $30,000.  The Environmental Education and Community Engagement Program delivers an impactful message about litter prevention and environmental stewardship to elementary school children in the region.  There is no cost to schools.  High quality virtual programming continues as a part of KCB’s menu of offerings.

Library Foundation of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, $75,000.  The Homework Helpers program provides free help to students in Grades K-8 at targeted locations across the Library’s system.  During the school year the program assists students with homework help and skill-building coaching on any subject.  During the summer, learning and mentoring are offered to those in need of enrichment support.  

LifeCenter, $25,000.  The Celebrate Life Calendar is a publication distributed strategically in the community to raise awareness levels about the organ donation network, including teens who are coming of age and beginning to drive..   

Matthew 25 Ministries, $35,000.  The local fresh food program coordinates a collaboration of corporate in-kind product donors small to mid-size local partner organizations that can use fresh food to provide assistance to underserved and vulnerable populations.  One million pounds of food was distributed in 2023.

New Life Furniture, $35,000.  Beds for Kids is part of a program that provides up to 18 pieces of donated, gently-used furniture at no cost for low income families living in bare or sparsely furnished housing.  When donated beds are not available, the organization purchases them. 

Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, $30,000.  The Lincoln Grant Scholar House program provides affordable housing and educational support counsel and services to single student parents while also addressing the childcare and early education needs their children.

President Drive Church of Christ (Faith Alliance Coalition), $20,000.  The Faith Alliance’s Day of Hope 2024 will continue the tradition of a community celebration for young people as they return to school, providing them with supplies, mental and physical health needs, and other resources.  The community event connects families to service organizations that can provide needed assistance.

Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, $20,000.  Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank partners with local social service agencies to provide free diapers to low-income families while raising awareness of the basic health need for diapers. The vision is to eliminate the existence of diaper need y so that all babies have a chance to be healthy, happy, and safe.

Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, $25,000.  Youth Council Urban Champions utilizes an asset-based approach to help youth achieve academic, career, and life goals by developing resiliency, leadership, determination, cultural competency, and community connections.  The program impacts 300 youth ages 11-19.

Women Helping Women, $25,000.  The Prevent & Empower program for students aged 7th-12th grade is an evidence-based curriculum that increases youth's social emotional learning by exploring boundaries, healthy relationships, and identifying unhealthy behaviors. Power-based violence among youth has been on the rise.  In 2023, over 5,400 students were educated, with over 26,000 hours in the classroom. 

WordPlay Cincy, $20,000.  The programming features teen writing, poetry and performance as well as the advancement of the Creative Community Hub in Northside.  

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 3,700 grants totaling over $76 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.