JCPenney donates $9M to afterschool programs

PLANO, Texas JCPenney announced that it has donated more than $9 million this year toward afterschool programs.

"Donations contributed to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund by JCPenney with the help of its customers, Associates and suppliers, have helped to directly improve the lives of tens of thousands of children," said Mike Theilmann, chairman of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. "Thanks to these grants, at-risk children across the nation now have access to afterschool programs that will keep them safe and foster their academic, physical and social development, helping them to reach their full potential."

Through four national afterschool program providers and funders -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA of the USA, National 4-H and United Way of America -- the JCPenney Afterschool Fund assisted children who were currently not in afterschool programs or on the verge of leaving afterschool programs due to a lack of funds.