Tyrone Cochran sat at a table, his head propped up with his hand. The 7-year-old was deep in thought as he read the assigned story from his second-grade class, "Jamaica Louise James."

When he got stuck, a volunteer with Citizens to Abolish Domestic Apartheid was there to help.

Tyrone was at the group's after-school program on Fifth Avenue in North Versailles. He's in his second year there, and has made great strides.

"He has a good time here," said program director Ken Kretchum. "When he first started, he was shy. He's opened up here and made a lot of new friends."

Founded in 1990 to promote racial harmony in North Versailles, CADA initially targeted the community of Crestas Terrace, the oldest African-American neighborhood in suburban Pittsburgh.

"Instead of being latch-key kids, being home by themselves and getting into trouble, we wanted them to have somewhere to go," Mr. Kretchum said.

CADA, which has about a dozen volunteers, now offers a summer program as well.

While both programs are open to children from any community, the majority of the 24 students who attend the after-school group are from the East Allegheny School District, because it offers bus transportation there.

The students get a hot dinner -- the on-site cooking staff on a recent evening prepared stewed chicken, buttered noodles and glazed carrots -- and help with their homework and time to play.

Dr. Janis C. Brooks, who founded CADA, said about eight in 10 of the after-school students made the honor roll this past nine weeks.

She also noted that since the organization was founded, it has produced students who went on to work in the federal government or became computer scientists, and others who are in medical school.

"It's just so good to see the kids develop and watch their character mature," Dr. Brooks said.

Tyrone has learned to believe in himself, and he's motivated to do well in school.

"The food's good," he said. "You get to have fun."

His mother, Rita Griffin, learned about the program from Tyrone's three cousins who also attend.

She works as a nurse's aide at an independent living facility in Monroeville. She had been working the afternoon shift, from 3 to 11 p.m., but recently changed so that she could spend more time with Tyrone.

Ms. Griffin, who also has a 29-year-old child, appreciates the CADA program and all it's done for Tyrone and the other children who attend.

"I think it's a great program," she said. "There are some kids that don't have a parent at home to help them."

Though Tyrone did not attend the summer program, CADA helped his mom set up an academic plan so Ms. Griffin could continue to work with him on math, reading and spelling over his summer break.

"The parents are very much involved with what we do here," Dr. Brooks said.

The children also go on field trips. Last year, the after-school group spent a night in New York City and saw "Shrek the Musical" and the Statue of Liberty. Tyrone's favorite trip was when they went to a Duquesne University men's basketball game.

"In the summertime, we get kids from everywhere," Mr. Kretchum said. Last year, there were 32 students from 15 different communities.

During the summer program, the children get two free hot meals -- breakfast and lunch -- and attend from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They continue to work on academics in the summer, including culture and environmental subjects. The students also do arts and crafts and physical activities.

Last year, they had field trips to the Carnegie Science Center, a Pirates game and the zoo.

Most of the trips are financed through grants. Nearly every child who attends the after-school program is low-income.

Because of that, the CADA program and children who attend participate in the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, which is supported in part by the Post-Gazette's Goodfellows Fund. Dr. Brooks makes sure that the children make a wish list, and Toys for Tots and Goodfellows work to ensure that no children wake up on Christmas morning without having a gift to open.

We hope you will join this effort by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Goodfellows Fund by using the coupon on this page or online at www.post-gazette.com/goodfellows.

Every donation is acknowledged in the newspaper.

The Toys for Tots program will hold open houses this weekend to distribute toys to those caring for needy children.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, toys will be distributed at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh building at 420 Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown. Those wishing to obtain toys should bring photo ID and be accompanied by their children or bring documentation of the children's ages (for example, birth certificates or insurance cards) and proof of government assistance.

Today's total: $15,643.44

Grand total: $31,533.33

Paul Lane Jr. $2,000

Anonymous $1,000

John D. Simon $500

J. P. Phillips Inc. $500

Chrislynn Energy Services Inc. Tony and Mike $500

Gerald R. Bartolomucci $500

Anonymous $250

Stephen H. McKnight $250

Dolores Innamorato $250

Anonymous $250

Gary and Trish Sauer $250

Karen and Kent Galey $250

Marcia B. Kass, D.C. $200

A&E Rentals $200

John and Britt Vries $200

Pat and Joe McLaughlin $200

Pameela Weiss and family $200

Ali and Brad Cameron $200

Steven and Laura Powell $200

Herbert W. Holder $200

Wesley Yang $200

John and Kathy Hribar $200

Anonymous $200

Drs. Anil and Nalina Prabhu $175

Tony and Jody Kuzneski $150

Anonymous $150

Anonymous $150

David L. Wohleber $100

Anna May Sejka $100

In memory of Edward and Margaret VanLandingham $100

Alfred and Christine LeVasseur $100

Joseph McCann Mass Mutual Financial $100

Anonymous $100

Adam K. Smith $100

Sgt. Hawk $100

In memory of Ginny Guttendorf $100

The Osthoff family $100

Shirley K. Lewellen $100

K. King $100

Gail McLaughlin $100

Wayne and Suzanne Swift $100

Carol and Augie Mazzei $100

Tom and Mary Ann Kaylor $100

Darcy Tannehill $100

Danahy grandchildren $100

Ishar and Nirmal Singh $100

DeAngelis family $100

Roger and Lisa Gaughan $100

David Greve $100

Norman Roule $100

David A. Hornig $100

Bill Shue $100

Anonymous $100

Louis H. Mackey $100

George and Susan Will $100

In memory of Brandon Abate $100

In memory of Phyllis Stukus $100

In memory of Grace R. Gillen $75

In memory of Spuddler $50

Peter and Tissy $50

Anonymous $50

Deborah and Keith Rust $50

Joyce and Don Vance $50

Anonymous $50

Jeff and Jean Krieger $50

Menifield family $50

Ginny Merchant $50

Sandy and Sam Sunseri $50

Kathleen Burns $50

Harry Schaefer $50

In honor of the Peties and Riley $50

Janey and Ray Clark $40

Elizabeth Scheide, Ph.D. $40

Louise Lytle $40

Isabella, Isaac, Levi and Samuel Jenkins $40

Bethany C. Salvatore $31.44

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Lape $30

Anonymous $30

Joan Talco $30

In memory of Louise Vukson $25

Honora E. McCarthy $25

Matthew W. Kerr $25

In memory of Marty Leonard $25

In memory of Paul Ganster by Jake Mulzet $25

In memory of Lynne E. Faigen $25

Pat and Jerry Burgess $25

Ruth McMillen $25

Philip Veliky $25

Bill and Judy Brennan $25

Karen Hallett $25

Anonymous $25

In memory of Charles W. Tate $25

Lyles family $25

In memory of Marie Lutz $25

Anonymous $25

Dave Schreiber $25

Jason W. White $25

Ellen Chiff $25

Joe and Diane Colapietro $25

Felix and Carolyn Natoli $25

Mary C. Tornabene $25

Anonymous $25

Darlene K. Schiller $25

Caron, Jeff and Rachel Wolfe $25

In memory of Mr. and Mrs. Ron Puskar $25

In memory of Henry Cimino (Father) $25

Mary Malli $25

Charles R. Wall $25

Roger and Ann Townsend $25

Joseph S. Matusz $25

Nora L. Mudd $25

Tony and Mary Ann Antonioli $25

Jean Bomeli $25

Tom and Sue Finegan $25

Georgetta L. Harding $25

Charles Lightner $25

Elaine Love $25

Nancy Ziegler $25

In memory of Joseph Zak $25

James and Betty Gilmore $25

Anonymous $25

Edward J. Matthews Sr. $25

Matt and Michael Hensler $22

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Barbara Tenley $20

Ray Perhach $20

Hilda Dax $20

Jim Stoner $20

Bob Leith $20

Ruth Lerch $20

Martin and Vivian Henderson $20

Rod and Patty Dady $20

Raymond and Helen Bair $20

Joyce Ghion $20

Rosemary Curran $20

Lovella Svetich $20

In memory of Matthew W. Pustelak $20

Fred and Marge Muhl $20

Margaret Nowicki $20

Norma H. Manion $20

Nicholas T. Verrenti $20

Jacob and Taylor Rache $20

In honor of President Barack Obama $20

Chris and Betty Stringert $20

Anonymous $20

Che Esch $20

Gerald Janusz $20

Mike and Karen Ulrich, in loving memory of our friend, Barb Duss $20

M. A. Snyder $20

Whitehouse family $20

Michele McClendon $20

Joel Vanucci $20

Nancy J. Hunter $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

The Riley family $18

Bill Smith $15

James A. Kramer $15

Frank A. Miele $15

Shirley M. Stewart $15

In honor of Richard J. Joyce $15

Clarence Vandzura $15

Susan Borres $15

James R. Stewart $15

Rich Filar $15

Despina Insogna $15

Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee $15

Roberta Charles $15

Connor Stutz $15

Ross Rosen $12

Donna Lyons $10

Ann Hopwood $10

In memory of Mum, Dad, Pat and B.B. $10

Ed and Sue Barker $10

Carol Staude $10

Amy Bailey $10

Ronald Wollett $10

Lisa and Eric Roedersheimer $10

Marian Thompson $10

A friend of Jesus $10

Eugene and Rose Lodovico $10

Glenda Abraham $10

Anna Tarr $10

Ava Simone $10

Thomas Hudanich $10

Tom and Peg Renk $10

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Howard $10

Alice E. Backstrom $10

Antoinette Oleniacz $10

Harold Butler $10

John Sawhill $10

Bob and Veronica Michak $10

In memory of my daughter, Elaine Rokicki Makowski $10

Anonymous $10

Ann Hoover $10

David and Heather Wald $10

Mary Ann Ferrans $10

Dolores R. Manslow $10

Mr. and Mrs. William Premro $10

L. H. Eglberger $10

Anonymous $10

Mrs. Richard Follansbee $10

Joan G. Reisman $10

B. G. Mar $10

S. Zywiolek $10

Norma McNamara $5