Preschoolers Get Summer Science Fun
In the photo from left to right: Sam Bitar – Executive Director of the Webster Five Foundation and Business Analyst, Webster Five; Joyce Rowell – Executive Director, Rainbow Child Development Center; Nancy Thibault – Strategic Communication & Development Manager, Rainbow Child Development Center; Don Doyle – President/CEO, Webster Five
The Webster Five Foundation announced that as part of its Web of Caring to Make a Difference program, it will donate $5,000 to Rainbow Child Development Center (RCDC). RCDC implements dynamic and high quality early education that helps to eliminate barriers and challenges between low-income children and children growing up with substantially higher economic means. The Preschool Program is continually accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Webster Five’s Web of Caring to Make a Difference program reinforces the bank’s long-standing initiative to give back to the community by supporting local organizations that are making a difference. RCDC fits within this mission by providing a quality and comprehensive education for children at the earliest level. This level of early education sets children up for bright, successful futures, and equips them with advanced cognitive, social, and emotional skills. RCDC follows key academic and social competencies of reading readiness and age appropriate expressive and receptive language; science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics; growth mindset and flexible thinking; encouraging students’ in conversation and collaboration; wellbeing.
RCDC’s preschool program currently serves 64 children from Worcester between the ages of 2 to 5 years old. The majority of these children live in one of the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in the city, with eighty-eight percent living below the poverty line, and twenty five percent are victims of abuse or neglect. These circumstances can often have a severe effect on the development of a child’s language skills, as well as other academic and social skills. RCDC is committed to helping the children overcome their socio-economic challenges. By implementing a strong Summer Science Program, children will have the opportunity to discover and learn through a hands-on curriculum. By doing experiments and seeing for themselves how things work, their curiosity and confidence to ask questions will increase.
Donald F. Doyle, president and chief executive officer of Webster Five, stated, “RCDC offers great opportunities for the underprivileged youth in our Worcester community. They are giving these children the chance for a beneficial and comprehensive early education, and we are proud to support that.”
Rainbow Childhood Development Center CEO Joyce Rowell said “It is organizations like Webster Five that allow us to continue guiding, teaching and helping the children of Worcester. We are so thankful for their support.”
About Web of Caring to Make a Difference
Web of Caring to Make a Difference is a bank-wide community program created by Webster Five as a tangible means for the bank as an organization and its employees as individuals to make a positive impact by supporting local organizations that also are making a difference. Through the Webster Five Foundation, the program has donated more than $2 million dollars to various local nonprofit organizations for programs that support expanding and improving access to education, culture and the arts, social services, charitable activities and community development. Requests for funding through the Webster Five Foundation are reviewed by the board of directors and are awarded to established 501(c)(3) organizations in the above sectors that qualify.
