Horizons Receives $15K To Help In Its Work With Bridgeport Children

The organization’s mission just received a boost with a $15,000 grant from Near & Far Aid in Southport. Near & Far Aid is made up of a group of local women who come together in the spirit of giving back to the community and through targeting poverty.

“We are self-funded,” said Monique Rutledge, program manager at Horizons at GFA. “We receive office space from Greens Farms Academy, but otherwise we rely heavily on word of mouth for whatever resources we receive.” 

The Near & Far Aid grant continues the organization's two ongoing partnership to help low-income Bridgeport students to develop the academic and social skills required to be ready for college after graduating from high school. Horizons at GFA's six-week summer program provides students with academic support and engaging enrichment activities.

Horizons at GFA strives to help 205 pre-K through 12th Grade Park City public school students from low-income families. It opened its doors in 2000, Rutledge said. The first Horizons program in the area was was formed in New Canaan in 1965. The Horizons locations in Fairfield County serve children in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford.

“The main focus of Horizons is to eliminate the achievement gap and that is not necessarily for low-income families, although it obviously is more exaggerated in the larger cities.” said Rutledge. “We have great summer activities, and our program is really designed to put students ahead of where they would have been without them. Our goal is to make them more successful.”

The Horizons at GFA programs have been successful. In 2014, 100 percent of Horizons high school seniors graduated, with 13 of the 15 graduates pursuing post-secondary education.

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