Unleashing Potential Receives Grant for Caroline Mission Outreach

UCC-related Unleashing Potential (UP) recently received a $10,000 grant given on behalf of the Philanthropy Lab, the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, and the Sociology Department at Washington University.

The grant will provide operating support for UP’s Caroline Mission and will fund scholarships for families who cannot afford the full cost of childcare and parent engagement events.

UP at Caroline Mission is proud to support children and families by providing affordable, state-licensed, and accredited services for approximately 90 children ages six weeks to five years of age.

Caroline Mission provides family support services to our families through needs assessments, one-to-one assistance, referrals to partner agencies, and twice-monthly family engagement meetings focused on child and parent development topics. It uses an evidence-based curriculum taught by dedicated, nurturing teachers who guide children as they begin to unleash their potential.

UP staff works diligently to administer a high-quality program with the explicit goal of ensuring that the children are equipped to enter kindergarten emotionally, socially, and cognitively ready for learning.

Given that more than 75 percent of the children served reside with families earning less than $20,000 annually (65 percent of which are headed by single mothers and 30 percent by teens), UP’s staff recognizes the obstacles that these families face in meeting the developmental needs of their children. Therefore, the program focuses on influencing the social, educational and professional future of a child’s life.