Nashua YMCA Receives Funds for Literacy Program

Earl Prolman, an agent for New York Life and Nashua resident, visits the YMCA’s summer literacy program at Dr. Norman W. Crisp School elementary school in Nashua. Photo: YMCA of Greater Nashua

The YMCA of Greater Nashua received a $15,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life to support the nonprofit’s Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program (SLLP). The grant will help defray program expenses, including educational supplies, program staff wages and educational field trips for the students.

The program aims to improve literacy among low-income first and second grade students in Nashua who are struggling with their reading skills. The YMCA of Greater Nashua introduced SLLP in the summer of 2015 and is the only YMCA in NH offering the program.

“Without the support from New York Life, we wouldn’t be able to serve the 56 children in this program," says Mike LaChance, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Nashua. "Over the past two years, we have seen significant progress for these first and second graders that are struggling with their reading skills. Our Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program enables these kids to begin the next school year ahead, instead of falling further behind.”

Research has shown that low-income students lose 2.5 to 3 months of learning each summer and this is cumulative over their school career. Additionally, studies show that getting kids to read at grade level by third grade significantly improves their likelihood of completing high school.

New York Life's Community Impact Grant program awards grants of up to $25,000 to local nonprofits supported by New York Life agents and employees. Since 2008, 452 grants totaling nearly $6 million have been awarded to nonprofits across the country.