Communities in Schools of Richmond
Learning to read can be a child’s proudest accomplishment. The joy is palpable as he recites the words and turns the pages to his favorite story. Yet, what if nobody is there to listen, teach or praise? What if there are no books? What if the pangs of hunger speak louder than his words?
For students in Richmond Public Schools, there is a beacon of hope – Communities in Schools of Richmond (CIS). For 14 years, CIS has worked in close partnership with Richmond Public Schools to help children stay in school by identifying and addressing the most critical needs of students and their families. Hungry children are connected to the Central Virginia Foodbank. Children with emotional needs receive counseling. Children in need of a role model are matched with a mentor. CIS helps to meet students’ basic needs so they can concentrate on what is really important – learning.
Just as CIS nurtures the development of its students, TCF has contributed to the growth of this important community resource since 1996. Our grants from unrestricted and field of interest funds allowed CIS to establish an early presence in Richmond’s elementary schools, strengthen its infrastructure through a brief merger with another nonprofit and emerge again as a stand-alone organization that now serves 26 Richmond Public Schools from elementary to high school.
In 2009, CIS of Richmond successfully connected 10,435 students to resources, which represents nearly half of all Richmond Public Schools students. Here are two of their success stories. When teachers witnessed Dequan withdrawing in class, CIS enrolled him in a counseling program for students of incarcerated parents. He is now described as a gifted writer who is popular with his classmates. Maria was tempted to drop out of high school while she cared for her ailing grandmother. A CIS site coordinator encouraged her to take classes at a Performance Learning Center, where she excelled. This fall, she will be a freshman at a local university and become the first in her family to pursue a college degree.