CVS/ Pharmacy Charitable Trust and KIT Open Doors to Children with Disabilities

San Diego, CA, January 11, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Kids Included Together (KIT) announced today that it has received a $30,825 grant from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, the private foundation managed by CVS Corporation.

Children with disabilities are often denied opportunities to participate in community programs because program staff lack the skills and confidence to work with them. With over 115,000 children with disabilities in San Diego County, and over 12,000 of those residing in the North County, there continues to be a tremendous need for increased safe, affordable inclusive opportunities provided by trained staff in recreation, child care and youth development programs.  KIT addresses this need by forming formal multi-year affiliate relationships with organizations that serve children and youth during out-of-school time hours.  Through organizational relationships, KIT increases the capacity of community organizations, such as Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s, “6 – 6”, city park and recreation departments, to serve children with disabilities by providing a sought-after curriculum of direct training, ongoing technical assistance and support, training materials (manuals and DVDs), and on-site consultations to develop the skills and confidence necessary to include all children who walk through their doors.  With the Inclusion in North County Community Organizations project KIT will establish new affiliations with North San Diego County community programs serving children in non-school hours and assist them to increase their capacity to provide meaningful inclusive opportunities to children of all abilities.

KIT Executive Director, Jan Giacinti stated, “Funding from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust will positively change the lives of children with disabilities in North San Diego County.  Previously, providers of out-of-school time programs in this area of San Diego had little or no access to the training and technical assistance that would empower them to include all children, regardless of their abilities, in their existing programs.  KIT is thrilled to be in partnership with CVS to produce such a positive change in the community.”

“CVS strongly believes in giving back to the communities where we live and work,” said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President of the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust.  “Grants from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust are an effective way for us to support the extraordinary work done by community organizations to help children with disabilities and their families and to promote health, wellness and education.  We are proud to support the work that Kids Included Together does in the community to empower recreation, child development and youth development programs to provide meaningful inclusive opportunities to children of all abilities.”

The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust’s grant to Kids Included Together is part of its more than $5 million in grants to non-profit organizations across 22 states.  Organizations that were selected to receive a grant were chosen through the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust’s 2006 grant application process. Grants were awarded to organizations involved in children’s health and education issues, with a particular focus on initiatives to improve the lives of children with disabilities and programs that promote awareness and inclusion of children with disabilities.

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