Youth Life Skills Programs

Adams Elementary School-Mesa, Arizona

Adams Elementary School is located in Mesa, Arizona where blazing heat can keep children from enjoying recess on the playground. This school, which is located in a low-income area, benefited monumentally when ING DIRECT gave their playground some shade with the donation of a sun shade cover. The children now play freely throughout the entire year even when it reaches over 100 degrees in this desert state!

Backpack Drive

For five years running, the Kids Foundation has donated over 1,500 backpacks to local students in the ING DIRECT communities. The Delaware, New York, Minnesota, and Los Angeles sites distributed these full backpacks and supplies with gusto. Numerous ING DIRECT employees volunteered for this event, wanting to help the lucky recipients of the shiny new school supplies.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN

In recent years, ING DIRECT has been the biggest supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Central MN. From enthusiastic volunteer mentors, to sponsoring special events, ING DIRECT has helped BBBS with their mission to help at-risk youth to stay in school, away from drugs and violence, and to realize their full potential.

Blue Hill-PS 111

P.S. 111, located in Manhattan, New York, is home to a diverse student body of over 500 children with caring parents and a highly committed teaching staff. While the school has plenty of diversity and support, the building itself is not in proper condition. With help from ING DIRECT, the school now has projection screens in classrooms and an enhanced lightning system to boost the students' educational success.

Boy Scouts of Central MN and America

In just two years, ING DIRECT has been able to fund a program in St. Cloud, MN that reaches out to over 500 at-risk youth in the area. The Boy Scouts of Central MN conducts 'Scoutreach,' a program for children who need outreach the most, each year. This program works with minority youths and partners with other groups, like the NAACP to provide resources and an outlet in targeted neighborhoods.

Boys and Girls Club of Delaware

The Boys and Girls Club of Delaware serves 35,000 kids of all ages through camps and other programs. From tutoring to sports, the children of the Boys and Girls Club have unlimited opportunities thanks to donors like ING DIRECT. In the past, ING DIRECT has also donated school supplies to improve the educational experience and to help the kids reach their goals.

Children and Families First, Inc

ING DIRECT is just a toddler compared to this 125 year-old organization. Children and Families First is a non-profit private social service agency that helps kids and families in Delaware. This organization teaches children to make responsible choices, like being a savvy saver, while increasing safety and working to lower infant mortality in the DE area. With the help of ING DIRECT, Children and Families First have had great success with their goals.

Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education

The Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education (DFSME) is paving the road to innovation with their newest take on mathematics education. ING DIRECT enthusiastically supported DFSME's timely, intensive and rigorous pilot program, inspired by teaching methods from Singapore. In 2010, the program gave Delaware children the opportunity to learn math in a new and more productive way.

Delaware Symphony Orchestra

For two years, ING DIRECT has been helping to bring music to children's ears throughout the state of Delaware with its donation to the Delaware Symphony Orchestra's (DSO) children's educational outreach programs. The mission of the DSO is to make music available to all young people and encourage active participation in their school bands and orchestras. ING DIRECT has been able to make this mission possible with their two donations.

Delaware Theatre Company-Young Playwrights

All the world's a stage, and in 2007 ING DIRECT helped talented youth of Wilmington, DE realize this dream. By sponsoring the Delaware Young Playwright's Festival (DYPF) in conjunction with the Delaware Theatre Company, ING DIRECT supports the focus on writing skills and literacy of youth in Wilmington. The young winner was awarded a full production of the contest entry performed by the Delaware Theatre Company – Write on!

East Hancock Elementary School

In the Gulf area, saving for a rainy day has a whole new meaning. After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, ING DIRECT took the initiative to help rebuild communities and enhance the quality of life, especially for kids. In 2008, ING DIRECT hit the Gulf coast with KaBOOM and built a new playground for the elementary with the community of East Hancock. In just two days and with over 175 ING DIRECT employees, the new playground was completed and the school was provided with equipment to set up a new computer lab. Now, nearly 700 children have a new place to play and learn.

Eastside Community Learning Center

Eastside Community Learning Center and the Eastside Charter School recently launched the Every Child Will Learn Campaign. The goal of the campaign is to expand knowledge and create a financial literacy course for the children of the Eastside community. ING DIRECT has generously donated funds towards this goal.

Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay Council, Inc.

Everyone loves the springtime: it's Girl Scout cookie season. As much as we love those cookies in the spring, ING DIRECT found ways to contribute to the Girls Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay organization year round. By creating an accepting environment and building character, the Girls Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay with ING DIRECT's contribution have had a huge impact on the 1200 local troops. Girls Scouts is 99% volunteer oriented – now that's what we call a great rate.

Great River Educational Arts Theatre

It takes effort to make a production GREAT, and ING DIRECT did just that in 2008. The Great River Educational Arts Theatre (GREAT) offers educational opportunities to children from the central Minnesota area. At-risk youth have a chance to star in the Orange spotlight and gain exposure to the arts and theatre. The children's program is successful thanks to donations from organizations such as ING DIRECT.

Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club

The Grenville Baker Boys and Girls club is home to over 2,000 children in Locust Valley, NY area. With the help of ING DIRECT and some enthusiastic volunteers from the community, a new playground was built for local children to enjoy. The build was facilitated by KaBOOM and donations from ING DIRECT. In under a week, an empty area was transformed into a place for children to play and run freely.

Metropolitan Camden Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

The Metro Camden Habitat for Humanity (MCHH), located in Camden, New Jersey, provides affordable housing to families so those families can use the money they do have for the most important things in life. MCHH also promotes neighborhoods that provide education and support for people to succeed. The Kids Foundation at ING DIRECT is delighted to support and promote an agency that gives kids a safe community full of family and friends so they can learn and grow.

Nativity Preparatory School in Wilmington

The Nativity Preparatory School serves low-income boys of all faith grades five through eight. This school is special because all students are selected by their desire to learn and work ethic. Thanks to donations and funding from organizations like ING DIRECT, all students are able to go to school free of cost. Without ING DIRECT's donation, leading these special young students in a positive direction would not be possible.

Operation Warm

In 2007, ING DIRECT played a vital role in making the holiday season warm and merry for the children in Delaware by providing a donation to "Operation Warm," an organization dedicated to providing winter coats to children in areas of high need.

St. Pencader Hundred Community Center

In Newark, DE the Pencader Hundred Community Center (PHCC) connects with local neighborhoods in fragile economic situations. ING DIRECT and the PHCC teamed up to build a sense of community, stabilize the low-income neighborhoods, improve the resident's life skills, and enhance communication throughout the northern Delaware area. ING DIRECT was able to take a part in the mission by aiding the Center in programs that cater to families and children. By providing a safe neighborhood, children can thrive and build a strong foundation for their future success.

Prestige Academy

Prestige Academy is a tuition-free middle school for young go-getters in Wilmington, DE and surrounding communities. By 2012, the school is expected to serve over 400 young men at no cost to the boys or their families. Prestige believes that its students will have successful futures thanks to an encouraging school environment with the tools they need. ING DIRECT is proud to support this school and support many bright futures for these youth.

Read Aloud Delaware

Reaching out to over 7,000 Delaware students, ING DIRECT and Read Aloud Delaware have taught students how to love learning. Read Aloud is an organization focused on the critical early years of child development by promoting reading aloud to children to cultivate a love of books and a desire to become a reader. By reading one-on-one to children, children's literacy levels rise and they develop greater vocabulary and imagination skills.

St. Cloud Playground Project

Local children are on cloud nine in St. Cloud as 150 ING DIRECT volunteers and the St. Cloud Department of Parks and Recreation completed construction of a playground in the spring of 2005. The playground was designed by local children and is the home to tons of fun and play!

Superstars in Education Sponsorship.

In 2007 ING DIRECT helped local stars shine bright with Superstars in Education. This Delaware awards program is for educators with unique programs or teaching methods that cultivate the next generation of superstars through student achievement and test scores. Superstars in Education has honored over 200 programs and continue to promote programs that show proven results.

The Elizabeth W. Murphy School, Inc.

Located in Dover, DE the Elizabeth W. Murphy School gives over 100 neglected children a place to call home. The school meets the many needs of its students daily, and the donations it receives change so many lives. ING DIRECT's contributions to The Elizabeth W. Murphy School have funded counseling services, recreation activities, and nutritional programs.

The Philadelphia Education Fund

Over the past few years, ING DIRECT has contributed to The Philadelphia Education Fund's College Access Program. This program gives motivated students the ability to go to college when otherwise they would not. Over 3,000 students each year make college a reality thanks to the help of ING DIRECT and The Philadelphia Education Fund. Not only does the program help students get to college, but it hosts workshops, counseling and scholarship help to make sure the students succeed.

West Hancock Elementary School

The Orange ball of ING DIRECT kept rolling over to West Hancock Elementary school in Picayune Mississippi, another area impacted by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. To provide assistance to the affected area, ING DIRECT again built a new playground, complete with orange balls, and provided new technology support for the school. KaBOOM, ING DIRECT, and the community of West Hancock worked together to save the community and bring joy back to the children.

Wilmington Youth Rowing Association

Wilmington Youth Rowing Association (WYRA) located on the riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware provides a safe, fun, and competitive after-school children's rowing program. WYRA introduces kids to the competitive sport of rowing, responsibility, self-discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Thanks to ING DIRECT, WYRA is able to hold community summer rowing camps and purchase necessary equipment for the racing season. The boathouse is painted in bright orange and full of smiles, continuously reminded that ING DIRECT helped create the warm environment.

YMCA Black Achievers Sponsorship

The YMCA Black Achievers program was founded in order to help young African Americans develop a positive sense of self and to set high education and career goals. The program benefits youth and teens throughout the country with a mentorship program. ING DIRECT associates have contributed to the Black Achievers scholarship through mentoring and serving as positive role models. Through a series of workshops and activities, ING DIRECT has been able to make this program a success.

YMCA Ketchum Downtown

Located in the heart of Los Angeles, CA, the Ketchum-Downtown YMCA serves inner city families, teens, and children. Programs sponsored by ING DIRECT and the YMCA build a strong sense of community and aim to improve the quality of life in LA.