Buffalo, NY– The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program (WHJESP) received a generous donation of $15,000 from the Uniland Companies, which enabled them to purchase a 12-passenger van to transport their students to educational sites, sports facilities and field trips.

The WHJESP provides free afterschool, summer, STEAM programming as well as cultural and academic enrichment to elementary and high school students in Western New York.  “As our program continues to grow, additional transportation supports our mission to give our kids well-rounded experiences and moving them to our program sites” says Willie Hutch Jones, co-founder of the WHJESP.

This includes our many collaborations with scientific, arts, and industrial partnerships in the community.” “We are extremely grateful for the continued support from the Uniland Companies and for making this all possible.” 

“I’m very impressed with what Hutch is doing with the variety of afterschool and STEM as well as the summer programming which we also contribute to over the year” says Laura Zaepfel, Vice-President of Uniland Development Company. “I had a chance to visit the program and was amazed at everything that was going on, there was gym, acting and drumming, homework assistance, STEM activities and they make it fun.” “There was even a group of K-1^stgraders who were doing binary coding and learning to talk like robots.”  

“Uniland Companies philanthropy is based on education, environment, health & wellness, diversity and inclusion, which nurture health, mind, body, and spirit says Zaepfel.” For more information on how Uniland Development Company serves the communities in WNY please visit uniland.com.

The Willie Hutch Jones Educational and Sports Program has existed for 34 years and provides free, year-round programming to under-resourced communities and students in WNY.  These activities include summer programs: tennis, golf, basketball, baseball, volleyball, crew, swimming, creative dance, and STEAM camp. Fall activities include: theater club, science club, diversity dance, boy and girl scouts, steel drums, soccer and craft club. Each year the WHJESP hosts a Science Fair at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. 

Gallery

Contact:   
Lisa Napier, Public Relations and Marketing WHJESP
(716) 310-1360 – lnapier.whjsc@gmail.com