Eligible families can apply for up to $300 per child ($900 per household) to cover the cost of extracurricular activities like sports, music and art classes, camps, and related supplies and equipment. Families can apply for funding through local partner agencies and those living in Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Stamford can apply online at prosperikey.org. 

The ALICE Enrichment Fund allows ALICE® (AssetLimited,IncomeConstrained,Employed) families to receive financial assistance for out-of-school enrichment activities. A family with children ages 5 years old and older can receive $300 per year for a single child, and up to $900 per year for up to three children, to cover the costs of sports, music lessons, robotics, art classes, and other extracurricular activities that promote the emotional and mental health of their children.Eligibility is based on a family’s household budget and county of residence. More details are available at www.uwwesternct.org/aliceenrichmentfund. 

“The isolation brought on by the pandemic took a noticeable toll on the mental health of children in our area,” said Isabel Almeida, president of United Way of Western Connecticut. “The ALICE Enrichment Fund is making an impact on our students by allowing them to reconnect with their community and activities they love. The program eliminates the cost barrier that so many families face when enrolling their children in extracurricular activities and quite literally levels the playing field for children. We are piloting running the program application through Prosperi-Key for families in certain towns with the hope that more families can easily access funds to cover the cost of activities for their children and do so with dignity and anonymity.” 

Residents of Danbury, New Fairfield, and Stamford can allocate funds to the activity of their choice directly through the Prosperi-Key portal. Once verified, they will be provided with the funds to spend directly on their children’s activities, including things like instrument rentals, sporting equipment, and more. Residents of other towns in United Way of Western Connecticut’s 15-town region will be given instructions on where to go to receive funding. 

The ALICE Enrichment Fund launched in 2017 and it has helped more than 1,490 children participate in activities of their choice without their parents facing the stress of fees and tuition. 

United Way of Western Connecticut launched Prosperi-Key in 2021 to connect ALICE households with social services, business discounts, government support, and other resources. Interested families can enroll by visitingwww.ProsperiKey.organd registering on the site. Once registered, they will go through an income verification process to become Key Members where they will gain full access to the digital marketplace. 

To learn more about the ALICE Enrichment Fund, visit www.uwwesternct.org/aliceenrichmentfund. For more information about United Way of Western Connecticut, visit www.uwwesternct.org.