Working families who cannot afford to place their children in the Fayette County School System’s After School Program are getting some help thanks to a local civic organization and the school system’s CARE (Children at Risk in Education) After School Scholarship Fund.

The Kiwanis Club of Fayette has donated $1,000 of its proceeds from its annual fair to the scholarship fund. The fund helps pay partial after school tuition for students whose parents work but do not earn enough to pay for the program.

“The scholarship fund helps working parents provide quality child care for their children. The after school program gives children a safe, structured place to be while their parents are at work, keeping them from becoming involved in inappropriate, delinquent or criminal behaviors or falling victim to a predator,” says Jane Gough, Fayette County After School program manager.

Less than one percent of Fayette’s after school population receives scholarships for tuition, but for those who need financial assistance, it can mean the difference between keeping a family together or splitting it apart. Scholarship supporters realize the importance of this service to children, their families and the community.

“Kiwanis is pleased to support an effort like this because we know that after school is much less expensive than juvenile detention or foster care,” says Kiwanis Board Member Teresa Thaxton.

More information about the CARE After School Scholarship Fund can be obtained by contacting CARE Coordinator Karen Spangler, 770-460-1309 or Jane Gough, 770-460-3990, ext. 255.