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Caltagirone announces more than $174,000 in grants for children, schools in Reading

from the Office of Rep. Thomas Caltagirone

Sep 04, 2019

READING – State Rep. Thomas Caltagirone announced on Thursday the release of more than $174,000 in federally funded grant money to local schools serving homeless children and displaced youth.

Reading School District was awarded $164,223, while I-Lead Charter School in Reading was awarded $10,018 through the Assistance of Homeless Children & Youth Hurricane Education Recovery grants. The grants are used to provide financial assistance to educational agencies serving homeless children and youth displaced by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria or by the 2017 California wildfires.

Reading School District has 459 displaced students, while I-Lead Charter has 28 displaced students.

“This is an example of looking out for and helping the most vulnerable among us: our children,” said Caltagirone, D-Berks. “Being displaced because of a natural disaster or trying to survive on the streets because you no longer have a house to go home to is damaging for anyone, but for children it can be traumatic.

“These funds will help our schools work with children whose families are trying to survive under trying circumstances.”

Grants were awarded to 17 school districts throughout Pennsylvania, with Reading School District receiving the second-highest total in grant money in the state. Only Philadelphia City School District, with 495 displaced students, had more displaced students than Reading School District.

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