Local youth program briefs Select Board on services for Swansea children, seeks continued town support

Sally Malay, executive director of the King Housing Kids Collaborative, briefed the Select Board on Nov. 18 about services for children living in affordable housing and asked the town to continue its financial and operational support.

Malay told the board the collaborative acts as an intermediary connecting families with community partners. She said roughly 108 children in Swansea are eligible for services through the collaborative, and that the program leverages partnerships with organizations such as the Keene Family YMCA, Camp Dakota, MOCO Arts, and local recreation programs. "We provide them with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library," Malay said, describing an early-literacy program that delivers age-appropriate books to children under 5.

Malay said the collaborative spent nearly $26,000 on Swansea children this year and covered costs for 12 scholarship slots to the Swansea summer camp (about $12,000). She described the collaborative's funding model as a mix of partner service fees (Keene Housing and Southwest Community Services pay per-household service fees that cover operating costs), grants, fundraising events, and donations from businesses and individuals.

Board members thanked Malay for the presentation and asked about program materials; Malay offered to email her presentation to Town Administrator Laurie for review rather than posting it on the town website.

Why it matters: The collaborative provides access to enrichment and out-of-school activities for children in low-income households that, Malay said, can help close opportunity gaps tied to long-term outcomes. The program's local partnerships mean dollars raised are largely spent in area organizations.

Next steps: Malay will send the presentation and supporting materials to the town administrator for review and possible posting to board members for budgeting or warrant-item considerations.