Children of the City Joins Health Plus to Provide a Day of Fun to Sunset Park Kids 5/15

Children of the City, with the support of Health Plus, will be hosting the 15th Annual End of the School Year Carnival for the at-risk children of Sunset Park on Saturday May 15th, 2010. With expectations of attendance somewhere between 700 and 800 children and families, all festivities are free of charge.

Children will enjoy a day full of fun and games including face-painting by local artists, a watermelon eating contest, potato sack race and an inflatable Bouncy Ride. Entertainment will be provided by local musicians and dancers. In addition, parents will have the opportunity to hear motivational speakers discuss the challenges facing parents during these difficult times and ways to overcome them. Police from the 72nd precinct and local firefighters will also join in the festivities and are expected to make a fire truck available for photos and exploration by the children.

"Our goal is to provide a place where children can play and be safe," said Joyce Mattera, Executive Director. "Every year over 10 million children are involved in violence in schools. Sunset Park has over 28% of children living below the poverty line. We need Out of School programs with affordable activities that will engage them in learning and fun. That speaks to the very mission of Children of the City. We have a year-round after-school program as well as Saturday events that meets the diverse needs of children's development."
Children of the City has been providing programs and services focused on helping to brighten the future of underprivileged children in the Sunset Park community since 1981. Programs include, but are not limited to, Create Success, an after-school and summer program that focuses on helping at-risk children retain the information learned in school. Children in the area face challenges due to most homes having English as a second language and parents who are unable to assist with school work due to a lack of education. Poverty levels in the Sunset Park area are high and the result on academic excellence is shown in the 48% high school dropout rate.

Additional information is available at www.childrenofthecity.org.