Contact Information:

Tom Beerntsen, President/CEO Heritage YMCA Group                                         630.420.6277  

Jen Bartels, Executive Director, Naperville Family Resource Center,                       630.585.1560

YMCA Safe ‘n Sound, Oswego Family YMCA                                                     

Heritage YMCA Group Building Future Leader’s of America

(RR Donnelley Foundation Supports YMCA Safe ‘n Sound, A before- and after-school program)

The Heritage YMCA Group announced today that their YMCA Safe ‘n Sound, A before- and after-school program, has been awarded a significant, multi-year grant from the RR Donnelley Foundation. 

RR Donnelley is one of the world’s largest printing companies and this special grant from the Foundation has been made to underscore their commitment to literacy and education.  The gift announcement is being made as the YMCA begins its 2008 Strong Kids Campaign to raise $500,000 to provide the funding necessary to insure that no child or family will ever be denied YMCA services because of an inability to pay the cost of participation in Y programs.

The Heritage YMCA delivers before- and after-school care at 34 elementary school sites in Naperville and Aurora, at the YMCA  Naperville Family Resource Center located at Scott Elementary School in Naperville and at the new YMCA Youth Technology Center at Jericho Circle in Aurora.   The Y just opened its first junior high school after-school site at Madison Jr. High School in cooperation with School District 203.

Each day, over 800 children participate in Y before- and after-school programs.  Over 100 of these children participate because of fee assistance provided by the YMCA.  The long-term partnership between the YMCA and local school districts has helped to provide a safe place for kids and their working parents where Y staff delivers a curriculum designed to improve children’s academic performance.

Tom Beerntsen, the President and CEO of the Heritage YMCA Group, indicated that the before- and after-school programming at school facilities is one of the very best examples of the vibrant partnerships that exists between the Y, the schools and the business community.  “This significant gift from the RR Donnelley Foundation provides a tremendous boost to our program efforts for elementary and junior high school children and teens.  There is a growing demand for a safe place before- and after-school for children of working parents.  Our children are particularly vulnerable during the after-school period and this wonderful grant will allow us to further deliver on our promise to serve more children, even if they do not have the funds to pay the cost of participation,” Beerntsen explained.

Jen Bartels, the executive director of the YMCA Safe n Sound program explained that this grant to the Y is a reflection of the Foundation’s total commitment to children, education, literacy and providing equal opportunities to all children.  “The Foundation Board of Directors was pleased with the quality, scope and reach of the program across multiple school districts.  They were  especially impressed by the YMCA’s recent commitment to provide a technology center for the kids and families at Jericho Circle in Aurora,” Bartels explained.

In early December, the Heritage YMCA Group through its Aurora Family YMCA branch, opened the YMCA Youth Technology Center at Jericho Circle.  The start-up funding for equipment and staff for this center was raised through donors.  The center features 14 new Dell Computers, new desks and chairs and is open every week day to children in third grade through high school with classes designed to teach basic and advanced computer skills.

Beerntsen explained that the timing of the RR Donnelley Foundation gift is most helpful.  “This February ‘08 we will launch our annual Strong Kids Campaign.  The Foundation gift is a great lead gift in a campaign that is designed to raise awareness about the work our YMCA does for kids and families of all economic abilities.  At the YMCA, no one is ever turned away from YMCA activities because of a lack of resources and best of all, no one ever knows who pays and who does not.  At the Y, kids are kids and this recent gift will allow us to honor our promise to serve any child who is interested in Y programming,” Beerntsen concluded.