As an organization that relies heavily on our partners to be able to serve children in need all over the world, we are very fortunate to work with Communities In Schools (CIS) in the United States – especially when it comes to helping children in our nation’s capital. Working directly in 2,300 schools in 25 states and in Washington, D.C., as a national school dropout prevention organization, CIS builds relationships that empower students to stay in school and succeed in life.
The goals of CIS
“By helping our most vulnerable students stay in school and succeed in life, we are building stronger, healthier and more economically stable communities where every person is capable of reaching his or her greatest potential.”
One of Communities In Schools’ goals is to help children achieve in school, graduate, and move on to brighter futures. The organization does this by actively surrounding public school students with a support system of community members and resources in the public schools themselves. CIS believes that these relationships, and giving children the access they need to services that will help them overcome barriers in their education, change children for the better and help them to succeed.
According to the CIS website, “Across the country, approximately 1 in 5 children under 18 lives in poverty. These are disproportionately children of color who already struggle with issues of access and equity. Without community support, they are more at risk for missing school, dropping out and failing to earn a high school diploma. By helping our most vulnerable students stay in school and succeed in life, we are building stronger, healthier and more economically stable communities where every person is capable of reaching his or her greatest potential.”
CIS’ school-based staff members partner with teachers to identify the challenges students face in class and at home, and they coordinate with community partners to bring outside resources into schools. From immediate needs like food and clothing, to more complex ones like counseling and emotional support, CIS offers a wide range of assistance to children, and their mission aligns closely with our own here at Children Incorporated.
A perfect match
All four of our affiliated schools in Washington, D.C. work under the auspices of Communities In Schools – and we couldn’t be happier with this special partnership. The work of Children Incorporated and CIS dovetail beautifully. We are able to provide children with resources, thanks to our sponsorship program and our dedicated sponsors and donors; and CIS’ site coordinators serve as our volunteer coordinators at each of the schools with which we affiliate. Our sponsors can be counted among these caring adults, and the other mentors that CIS introduces to schools are vital to our sponsored and unsponsored children’s growth – and to that of all children living in poverty in Washington, D.C. – in a variety of ways.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN WASHINGTON, D.C.?
You can sponsor a child in Washington, D.C. in one of two ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.