Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced a $121,000 grant for The Tampa Metropolitan YMCA, Tuesday.

The grant will allow the YMCA to start offering educational enhancements to its after-school programs to children from low-income families that are served in its Palm River location.

By providing targeted reading and math instruction throughout the school year, YMCA will provide a much-needed academic component to its current after-school programs.

The Tampa Metropolitan YMCA will partner with KLC School Partnerships to build on the current enrichment offering at their Palm River branch. By combining a solid enrichment program with a proven academic diet the YMCA aims to ensure high student participation in its after-school programs and enhance student achievement.

According to the Afterschool Alliance, more than 14 million kindergarten through 12th-graders are unsupervised and at risk after the school day ends. A 2006 election survey found that 72 percent of voters agree that Congress should increase funding for after-school programs.