College Receives $5,000 to Fund Camp Programs for Low-Income Troy Residents

March 1, 2016

Hudson Valley Community College has received a $5,000 grant from The McCarthy Charities, Inc. to help fund tuition to its summer Kids on Campus programs for low-income residents from the City of Troy.

Each year, more than 800 children, ages five to 16, enroll in one or more summer camp program at the college. Offerings range from athletics and technology to theater and language. The college's Office of Community and Professional Education has been offering Kids on Campus children's programs for nearly 25 years.

The grant will help low income children from the City of Troy pay for the cost of attending a camp program. To be eligible, students must qualify for the federal free and reduced lunch program. Full tuition for the college's camp programs range from $85 to $325 per week.

"We are grateful for the support offered by The McCarthy Charities, and we look forward to serving more young people from Troy this summer," said Deborah Shoemaker, the college's director of community and professional education.

The McCarthy Charities was established nearly 100 years ago by Troy industrialist and philanthropist Peter McCarthy. McCarthy grew up poor in Troy and went on to become a leading manufacturer and railroad director. The family foundation supports many programs aimed at helping children and families with low income. The McCarthy Charities contract with the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region for grantmaking assistance and administration.

Registration for the 2016 Kids on Campus programs will begin on March 16. For more information, contact the Office of Community and Professional Education at (518) 629-7339.

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Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Science; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.