USA Funds Supports Dream Academy's Outreach to Disadvantaged Children in Florida

At-risk children in Florida will get personal encouragement and academic support thanks to a grant from USA Funds^®. The $100,000 grant to the U.S. Dream Academy provided funding for the academy's work to open and operate two new learning centers in Florida in 2005.

The Orlando site, located in Frontline Outreach Ministries' community center, is scheduled to begin providing services in March. Another center, in Leesburg County, is scheduled to open in early September.

The Dream Academy's 10 family-learning centers provide online, values-based, interactive, tutorial and remedial after-school-education programs for children of prisoners and those children in danger of school failure due to a lack of proper academic, social and financial support.

World-renowned gospel singer Wintley Phipps founded the Dream Academy in 1998 to support programs that help address the cycle of intergenerational incarceration and school failure among children. According to research, children of prisoners have a higher incidence of underachievement in school and are six times more likely than their peers to end up incarcerated themselves.

To help break this cycle, the Dream Academy gives youths the education, encouragement and confidence they need to provide them with the hope and opportunity to become great achievers.

"We know that the children we don’t educate too often are the adults we incarcerate," said Phipps. "We want to show that, with the right tools and guidance, children can achieve anything, regardless of how they got their start in life."

In Orlando, the Dream Academy is partnering with Frontline Outreach Ministries. Frontline has been a strong presence in Orlando's west-side community as one of its oldest urban ministries. Frontline's 44,000-square-foot community center boasts a pool, full-size gym, cafeteria and a host of classrooms — and a safe haven for children and parents.

The Dream Academy will add a technology center with 20 state-of-the-art computers, provide academic support through an online academic curriculum in reading and math for pupils in grades two through six, and offer weekly one-on-one mentoring. Because Frontline’s current programs already focus on early-childhood education and on leadership development for students in grades eight through 12, the collaboration between the Dream Academy and Frontline will provide a continuum of services for children from age 2 through high school. Initially, the learning center will offer services to approximately 100 of Frontline's current members.

USA Funds' contribution to the U.S. Dream Academy is consistent with USA Funds' mission to enhance postsecondary-education preparedness, access and success for all deserving students.

"We are honored to assist the Dream Academy in empowering at-risk children and youths to reach their highest potential," said Pat Roe, USA Funds manager of philanthropy. "USA Funds is committed to building partnerships with organizations that help students with the greatest need overcome the barriers to higher education."

In 2004, USA Funds committed $14 million in support of philanthropic programs that promote higher-education access.