$133.5 Million Donation from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Will Deepen Organization’s Impact in Schools Across the Country Supporting 45,000 Students in 80 schools in Michigan
February 3, 2022- Communities In Schools of Michigan and Communities In Schools of Northwest Michigan, two local affiliates of the national organization are recipients of a large donation from MacKenzie Scott. CIS works to ensure every student, regardless of race, zip code, or history of marginalization has what they need to succeed in school and beyond.
This transformative $133.5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to the Communities In Schools Network and National Office will be distrubuted across 40 affiliates of the 110 organizations in the CIS Network.
In a time when the global pandemic has created unparalleled challenges for students and families, including experiences of social isolation, economic crisis, stress, and trauma, this investment will help CIS of Michigan and CIS of Northwest Michigan carry out their cause to build sustainable systems of support for the students and families that would otherwise be left behind. An investment in CIS to use its evidenced based model to help students overcome obstacles to learning is tremendous financial backing for impact, infrastructure, and the people working inside schools. However, it does not change the reality of the continued work ahead, and the public and private partnership that must remain true.
“We currently serve over 30,000 thousand students in Michigan and we have added more school district partners to our reach for 2023. Between the two affiliates, these funds will assist CIS with our plans for sustainability as we expand to serve over 45,000 students next year in Michigan.” Mallory DePrekel, Executive Director of Communities and Schools of Michigan said.
State Representative Sarah Anthony said, “I am thrilled to lend my congratulations to Communities in Schools Michigan on receiving this historic private investment in their work. At a time when our students seem to be facing their heaviest burdens yet, we need strong partners like Communities in Schools who are willing to do the work on the ground, in our classrooms to help kids re-engage and keep them on the path to success. This organization will play a key role in our collective response to the learning loss and mental health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud to see this level of community buy-in and I am excited to see the ripple-effect for students across Michigan.”
“This gift comes at a critical time for CIS of Northwest Michigan. Now more than ever, there is an overarching need to surround students with the necessary resources and support. This gift represents a way to build sustainability for the CIS Model in our public schools. Each day our site coordinators meet the needs of our young people who sometimes just need a caring adult in their lives. But for every child we equip to succeed in the classroom, we know there are many more in need.” Amy Burk, Executive Director of CIS of Northwest Michigan.
“This donation allows us to continue to break down immediate and systemic barriers for Michigan’s students and broker new strategies and partnerships to create equitable conditions for learning for all students,” said Mallory DePrekel, Executive Director of CIS of Michigan.
“In the next five years we plan on being the additional support schools rely on, to work alongside educators to empower students to reach their full potential,” DePrekel added. “While we are grateful this donation will help increase our reach, there are many other urban, suburban and rural communities that need our help and we hope that this funding is a launching pad for other major donors and the legislature to help us to serve even more students across Michigan. The need for integrated student support is great, there’s much more to do.”
CIS believes that transformative relationships are key to unlocking a student’s potential. Our school-based staff works inside schools in partnership with teachers and parents to help address the non-academic needs of students. CIS coordinates with schools and local service providers to meet the needs of students and families, as well as providing critical resources, like food, housing, healthcare, counseling, access to remote technology, and more so that students (and educators) can focus on academics. By identifying the points of challenge for students in their personal lives, CIS staff helps to empower students to move beyond the barriers they face in the school building and in the community.
“Today is an important day for students who are underserved, under-resourced, and in need of supports to build a brighter future,” said Rey Saldaña, President and CEO of Communities In Schools. “This unrestricted gift allows us to combat the inequities in public education and reimagine the way schools operate and show up for all students. Our National goal is to bring our model inside of every one of the 70,000 Title I-eligible schools in the country; currently, we operate in 3,000 schools – so we still have a long way to go, and we will need ongoing support to get there.”
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About Communities in Schools Communities In Schools® (CIS™) is a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations. For more information visit cismichigan.org
