Press Release: Local Philanthropists Open a World of Local Opportunity to Project MOST Students This Summer

Local collaborations with experts and field trip opportunities make it a summer to remember for iGrow Summer Learning Lab students thanks to the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the HILO Foundation, and the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation.

East Hampton, New York –– Project MOST’s nine-week summer learning program, iGrow Summer Learning Lab is offered to children ages five to 13 at their Community Learning Center located at the Neighborhood House in East Hampton. In the program, students grow and harvest vegetables in an organic garden, work with naturalists to discover the flora and fauna of the area’s landscape and waterways, and visit local cultural organizations to investigate the history and artistic heritage of the community. It is a unique summer learning opportunity for children made possible by longtime benefactor, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation.

The Kate W. Cassidy Foundation has provided scholarships to students and helped to underwrite operating costs since 2014 and this year provided funding for weekend food packs for children and families in need. Additionally, this year, iGrow’s unique immersion program is expanding with the support of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation and the HILO Foundation.

“Our program encourages lifelong learning by harnessing the assets of our community through local collaborations with experts and field trip opportunities,” said Rebecca Morgan Taylor, Project MOST’s Executive Director. 

Thanks to the focus on environmental studies on behalf of the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation, students will have the opportunity to learn with Group For the East End's naturalist educator, visit the South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center, and at Amber Waves Farm students will learn about harvesting and cooking. The HILO Foundation is giving the students the opportunity to discover the visual arts at the Arts Center at Duck Creek. Visual art, S.T.E.M., writing, cooking, dance, music, sports, and swimming lessons are all a part of the weekly program schedule. 

Last year marked Project MOST’s first time hosting iGrow at its new Community Learning Center but impacted by the onset of the pandemic, they had safely adapted the program to a limited number of students and heedfully omitted field trips.

“One year after the hit of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re thrilled to be able to restore our community learning excursions and give children these impactful experiences,” said Martha Stotzky, Education Director at Project MOST.

Learning from field experts is an immense opportunity to promise access to new explorable environments and impactful real-world concepts for students, who arrive from all financial backgrounds and experiences. One-third of iGrow students receive some form of financial assistance.

“We are extremely grateful to Kate Cassidy, Andrew Sabin, and Louise Eastman for investing in our community’s children and future artists and stewards of our environment,” added Rebecca Morgan Taylor, Project MOST’s Executive Director. 

To support Project MOST and a child’s valuable summer of enrichment, visit projectmost.org/donate.

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