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Charitable Giving-Impact Category

The Eastern Bank Charitable Giving Impact Category for 2019-2020 is: 

ENRICHING EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

 

Every child should have an equal opportunity to a bright future. Our goal is to use our resources in support of organizations working to ensure all young children have the love, communication, play, and stimulation they need for healthy development. 

Pressing questions: 

  • Why should a zip code predict the life success of a child?
  • Is there really a 4-million-word gap between low-income and other children?
  • Does pre-school make a difference?
  • Can the amount of time a parent speaks or reads to a child impact their ability to read?

Research shows that birth to age 5 is a critical period in the development of every child. It’s a time when a child’s loving relationships and interactions with their environment set the foundation for strong social/emotional and intellectual development. 

So, what happens when if a child is not provided with that stimulation? Science has taught us that the window does not close, but filling in the gaps is not easy and very expensive for a child to catch up. 

 

Here's what we know:

Father and young son reading a book

  • 80% of brain growth happens during the first 3 years of life.1

  • Vocabulary at age 3 can predict third grade literacy.2

  • Third grade literacy is a significant predictor of further academic success.3

  • Students who cannot read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school before graduation from high school.4

  • Lack of a high school diploma impacts future earnings and ultimately long-term health.5

  • Every $1 invested in early childhood creates a $13 return.6 

 

 

 

That's why, in 2019 and 2020, the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation is committed to supporting organizations working to enrich early childhood development within the Eastern Bank footprint. To download and view a list of organizations that received a 2019 grant, click here.

 

Sources: 

1. Boston Basics. 

2. The Campaign for GRADE-LEVEL READING, 2019.

3. Early Skills and Predictors of Academic Success by Hanover Research, November 2016.

4. Why a High School Diploma is Important to Your Future by The Classroom, 2019.

5. Population Health: Behavioral and Social Science Insights by The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, September 2015.

6. 13% ROI Research Toolkit by Heckman The Economic of Human Potential, 2017.