BANGOR – The Bangor Y and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund are working together to help more children than ever before to have access to after-school programs.

After-school programs keep children safe and help produce life-changing, lasting benefits, including healthier lifestyles, improved social skills and enhanced academic performance, officials said.

The Bangor Y recently received a $10,830 grant from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund to offer children who otherwise could not afford it a place to learn new activities, make new friends and receive help with schoolwork through the Y’s Outreach Program at Capehart.

“We are honored to have an opportunity to provide this grant to the Bangor Y,” said J.B. Klecha, store manager for JCPenney’s Bangor Mall store.

In addition, the Bangor Y received 40 gift cards from the J.C. Penney Corp. The gift cards were given to children receiving financial aid from the JCPenney Afterschool Fund grant to help with the purchase of school clothing and supplies.

The Bangor Y offers a variety of after-school programming for youth, including the Y-Outreach Program at Capehart, the YWorks Before and After School Program, K-Club and Opportunities Program for Teens, Counselor-in-Training Afterschool Programs and the new Boys Mentoring Program.

In addition to awarding $10,830 to the Bangor Y, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund is providing similar grants to 276 other Ys around the country for a total of $3 million.

Rob Reeves, Bangor Y CEO, said, “The Bangor Y is grateful for the generous support of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. Together, we are reducing the number of unserved youth, ensuring that students of all backgrounds and income levels are able to benefit from after-school programs. We also thank JCPenney for providing our students access to supplies for the academic year.”

For information about Y programs, call 941-2815.