Woodward Charitable Trust Renews $10,000 Grant for TEAM Program

Woodward Inc. and the Woodward Charitable Trust renewed a $10,000 grant to support the TEAM initiative at Erie Neighborhood House.

TEAM stands for Tutoring to Educate for Aims and Motivation. The initiative delivers one-on-one mentoring to 100 local youth ages 12-18 each year, pairing students with adult leaders in the community who volunteer their time to provide them with the tools, resources and support they need to reach their potential.

Its community impact has been remarkable since it was founded in 1984. Today 100% of students enrolled in the program graduate from high school, and 98% gain acceptance to a college or university.

“For our youth, it is crucial to have mentors during such a challenging time of development and discovery in their lives,” says Maria Muñoz, assistant director of the YOU program at Erie House. “Mentors assist with this development in order for youth in our community to succeed in their academic and personal lives.”

Muñoz talks about the transformation that occurs in students who participate in the TEAM initiative at Erie House, citing research from The National Mentoring Project. “Youth who are mentored are 55% more likely to go to college, and 90% of them will become mentors themselves,” she says.

“For our youth, it is crucial to have mentors during such a challenging time of development and discovery in their lives.”

– Maria Muñoz, Assistant Director of YOU

In fact, a handful of TEAM mentors were students at Erie House.

The Woodward grant provides food and other supplies for the TEAM program’s weekly tutoring sessions that run throughout the school year on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

The control systems designer and manufacturer has supported Erie House financially since 2013. Over the past decade, employees from Woodward’s Niles location have consistently volunteered in the agency’s TEAM program.

“We are grateful for our partnership with Woodward Inc.,” says Erie House executive director Kirstin Chernawsky. “The financial support makes a difference, but we’re equally excited to have Woodward employees serve as TEAM mentors.

The TEAM program will mark the end of its program year during a 1920s themed banquet scheduled for next month.

For more information on becoming a mentor in the program, please email mmunoz@eriehouse.org or call (312) 666-3430.

About Woodward, Inc.
Woodward is an independent designer, manufacturer, and service provider of control system solutions and components for the aerospace and industrial markets. The company’s innovative fluid, combustion, electrical, and motion control systems help customers offer cleaner, more reliable, and more efficient equipment. Our customers include leading original equipment manufacturers and end users of their products. Woodward is a global company headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Visit our website at www.woodward.com, and connect with us at www.facebook.com/woodwardinc.