Thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Sundt Foundation, 20 families will receive more than a week of support from A Stepping Stone Foundation. Stepping Stone has been providing preschool with required parent participation for needy families in Arizona since 1990.
Its LEAF program (Literacy Elevates ALL children) includes preschool taught by certified teachers in a public school setting, home visits, adult education including English as a second language, GED prep classes and parenting classes. Included in the service is younger sibling childcare so parents can go to class and volunteer in the classroom.
The program allows children who are learning English and whose parents have a low level of education to be prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. Follow-up studies in two school districts showed Stepping Stone children performed better than their classmates through the third grade.
A Stepping Stone is a 501(c)3 public charity that relies on grants and individual donations to provide these services to Arizona families. In addition to the LEAF program, A Stepping Stone also provides college scholarships to former preschoolers and internship opportunities in the office.
The Sundt Foundation has made more than $7 million in grants and awards to non-profits in areas where the company does business. The foundation is funded by employee-owners and the company.