Sallie Mae, the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company, today announced its charitable foundation, The Sallie Mae Fund, provided grants to three Delaware nonprofit organizations to support programs that benefit children and families. The Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc. (DAPI), the Food Bank of Delaware, and Preston’s Playground each received $10,000.

“DAPI, the Food Bank, and Preston’s Playground share Sallie Mae’s desire to help young people realize their potential,” said Bonnie Beasley, senior vice president, Sallie Mae Bank, and president, The Sallie Mae Fund. “We have employees who are actively involved with each of these organizations, and we are pleased to be able to add our financial support to their volunteer efforts.”

The grant for DAPI will help fund the summer credit recovery program that is part of DAPI’s Pathways to College Program. The summer program, which Sallie Mae helped launch with a seed grant three years ago, makes it possible for high school students from throughout Delaware to earn credit for coursework they were unable to complete during the regular academic year, and keeps them on track for high school graduation.

“We appreciate Sallie Mae’s continued support of our efforts to help teen parents graduate from high school and motivate them to pursue a college education,” said Lucy O’Donnell, executive director, DAPI. “We have a 100 percent graduation rate for students who participate in this program, and 83 percent of our graduates have been accepted into a college or university.”

The grant for the Food Bank will support the Summer Mobile Meal Program, which provides healthy, kid-friendly meals for school-age children who live in areas where summer meal sites are not readily available. With school out of session, these children have limited access to meals typically offered by childcare, community, and other traditional meal distribution centers. Through the Mobile Meal program, Food Bank of Delaware van drivers deliver meals to local parks, motels, mobile home parks, and other sites. The driver and site coordinator set up a table and children are able to enjoy a meal and fun activities.

“Economic, transportation, and distance challenges make it difficult for these children to receive adequate nourishment during the summer months,” said Patricia Beebe, president and CEO, Food Bank of Delaware. “Sallie Mae’s grant will allow us to deliver nutritious meals to children who are at a higher risk of hunger during the summer.”

The grant for Preston’s Playground will help fund construction of a new playground designed to be used by children of all abilities and their families. To be built at the base of the reservoir in Newark, Del., the playground will sit on 8,400 square feet of rubberized surface material. It will feature swings, slides, rock walls, tunnels, steering wheels, and other safe, adaptive equipment that is ADA-approved and accessible to children and adults with wheelchairs, braces, or other mobility issues.

“Having a space like this where kids can use their imagination, explore, and laugh with each other while being outdoors teaches them more about life than they could ever learn online or from a book,” said Nic DeCaire, co-founder, Preston’s Playground. “We are grateful to have Sallie Mae’s support in our efforts to help children, their families, and the entire community understand and experience the gifts of acceptance and inclusion.”

The Sallie Mae Fund supports employee volunteerism and community service in communities where Sallie Mae employees live and work. Sallie Mae has nearly 740 full-time employees at its national headquarters in Newark, Del.

For information about saving, planning, and paying for college, and for free planning-for-college tips, tools, and resources, visit SallieMae.com.

About Sallie Mae:

Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.