National 4-H Council recently announced 2009-2010 mini-grants funded to county-based 4-H programs through a partnership with the JCPenney Afterschool Fund.

The Fund is a charitable organization focused on providing children in need with access to quality afterschool programs that foster academic, physical and social development every day between 3 pm and 6 pm.

Nineteen programs in five states received small grants to provide slots for 678 youth who were either not currently in afterschool programs or on the verge of leaving the program due to a lack of funding. In the four academic years since 2006-07, New Hampshire 4-H afterschool programs received a total of $661,829 to assist programs in providing slots for 1,457 children.

Extension 4-H youth development educators receiving this year’s awards in New Hampshire are:

• Claes Thelemarck, Carroll County, $4,644 for 21 children attending the Ossipee Schools Out Program;
• Holly Gowdy, Cheshire County, $3,440 for nine children attending the Harrisville School District’s Marl/Harris Before and Afterschool Program;
• Rick Alleva, Rockingham County, $5,160 for 13 children attending the Epping Recreation Department Afterschool Program, $6,192 for 14 children attending the Raymond Coalition for Youth 4-H Afterschool Program, and $6,192 for 14 children attending the Seacoast Youth Services 4-H Afterschool Program.
• Michael Koski of Hillsborough County, $6,880 for 40 children attending Hillsborough’s KIDS IN GEAR program;
• Linda Willard, Strafford County, $11,610 for 26 children attending the Seymour Osman Community Center afterschool program at the Dover Housing Authority; and
• Nancy Berry, Sullivan County, $5,160 for 17 children attending Claremont’s Family School Connections program.