Asian Services In Action has received a $12,500 grant from Akron Community Foundation to support its READY (Readiness through Expanded Acculturation Development of Immigrant/Refugee Youth) Program. Foundation President and CEO John T. Petures Jr. announced the grant after it was approved by the foundation’s board on Friday, Feb. 19.

READY Program Specialist Ed Kollin said the funding will expand the original eight-week summer pilot project to a year-long program in 2010. This is the second year ASIA has received a grant from Akron Community Foundation to support the project, which prepares children in refugee families for kindergarten.

“We made a great impact on families with limited English skills in the first year of the READY Program,” Kollin said. “This additional support will enable us to continue working with families who need extra help to get their young ones ready for school while also expanding the services to new families.”

The READY Program addresses the lack of English language skills in immigrant children from birth to age 5. The program will serve 10 to 12 families from the countries of Myanmar and Bhutan, whose refugees are considered to be an emerging high-need population in Summit County.

The READY Program uses Born to Learn, a research-based curriculum taught in bilingual/bicultural programs across the country.

About Asian Services In Action
Founded in 1995 by four immigrant women, the mission of ASIA is to empower Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in northeastern Ohio to take advantage of high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate information and services. The agency was founded under the premise that with the right support to individuals and families, the community will flourish and thrive. Annually, the agency touches the lives of more than 4,000 people through five program areas.

About Akron Community Foundation
Celebrating 55 years of building community philanthropy, Akron Community Foundation is a $124 million philanthropic endowment with a growing family of more than 320 funds. In 1955, a $1 million bequest from the estate of Edwin Shaw established the foundation, which works to improve the quality of life in greater Akron. It accepts charitable gifts and bequests from individuals, families, organizations and corporations committed to making a difference in the community for generations to come. To date, the foundation and its funds have awarded more than $85 million in grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. To learn more about Akron Community Foundation or to donate, call 330-376-8522 or visit www.akroncommunityfdn.org.