Wednesday, Jul 10, 2019

The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, Inc. has received a $15,000 grant from DCU for Kids that will be used to enhance STEM and STEAM curriculum in the agency’s early education programs. 

The funding will be used to train GLCAC’s teachers and aides in science, technology, engineering, arts and math so they can carry out additional lessons and programs at the Community and Family Support Center and in classrooms.

 “This grant will allow us to provide additional STEAM programming, which has been identified as a priority by state educational leaders and also among parents,’’ said Evelyn Friedman, GLCAC’s executive director.

The CFCE, which offers playgroups and parent engagement activities, will be adding a STEM/STEAM-focused playgroup pilot program in collaboration with the Maker Mill in North Andover. The Maker Mill can provide the space, equipment and supplies as well as subject-matter expertise to enable the CFCE to test a pilot. 

Dr. Patricia Howson from Merrimack College, who specializes in early and elementary STEM and STEAM programming, will be working with GLCAC to train the staff. 

DCU for Kids is a non-profit charitable foundation founded in 2005 by DCU - Digital Federal Credit Union. To date, DCU for Kids has made charitable donations that total over $13 million.

GLCAC is a multi-faceted social services agency that assisted 32,648 individuals in 2018 through a range of programs including early childhood education, fuel assistance, WIC nutrition assistance, immigration services, lead poisoning prevention, child abuse prevention, English-language lessons, and consumer protection.