New York — The Children’s Aid Society is pleased to announce that it will receive $900,000 over three years from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support its efforts to expand the implementation of the community schools school-reform strategy across the United States.
Through its National Center for Community Schools, The Children’s Aid Society provides expert technical assistance to educators, practitioners, advocates and policymakers across the nation and around the world to help more schools become community schools – schools that provide children with the supports they need to succeed academically and socially and become happy and productive adults. Children’s Aid has provided assistance to nearly all the country’s major community school initiatives.
This grant will support Children’s Aid’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of 15 Federally funded community school programs located mostly in urban communities in California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. The support will help these schools achieve their own goals and outcomes, including greater academic achievement, healthy youth development, family support and community development.
“Community schools are recognized around the world as an innovative reform that produces tangible results for students, parents, teachers and communities alike,” says Richard Buery, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Aid Society. “By removing many of the obstacles that impede academic success, community schools open the doors to better futures for students living in disadvantaged neighborhoods – better education, better health, and better career possibilities. This grant will help us greatly expand the effectiveness of the community schools model across the country.”
The Kellogg Foundation’s support will also allow The Children’s Aid Society to train experienced community school practitioners in up to five other locations in the U.S. to provide technical assistance themselves, exponentially expanding the community schools model. Finally, the grant will also support efforts by a partner organization, The Finance Project, to develop knowledge and tools to help state and local policymakers, program developers, community leaders and the public understand and communicate the costs and benefits of community schools through rigorous measurement of social return on investment (SROI).
“The community schools model is one to be embraced as a way to nurture whole child development beginning in a child’s early years,” said Dr. Valorie Johnson, program officer with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “The Children’s Aid Society is poised to create the next generation of community schools and promote the learning and healthy development of young people.”
About The Children’s Aid Society
The Children’s Aid Society is an independent, not-for-profit organization established to serve the children of New York City. Our mission is to provide comprehensive support for children in need, from birth to young adulthood, and for their families, to fill the gaps between what children have and what they need to thrive. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving New York’s neediest children. Services are provided in community schools, neighborhood centers, health clinics and camps. For additional information, please call 212-949-4938, email ellenl@childrensaidsociety.org, or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.
About The W. K. Kellogg Foundation
Established in 1930, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Grants are concentrated in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and southern Africa. For further information, please visit the Foundation’s website at www.wkkf.org.
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