Menu
Menu
Envision walking into a room full of children who have developed the joy and excitement of reading, interacting with young adults and college students who have career aspirations of working with or even teaching young students. Imagine this time of hope, inspiration and esteem building where both youth and adults are chanting and cheering encouraging words to one another.
We’ve created programs like READ Aloud time where our everyday heroes: police officers, school teachers, social workers, parents, politicians, and other members of the community, volunteer to read books aloud to our budding scholars. This type of engagement engages and gives confidence to the young students, changing the trajectory of their lives.
In partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) established by Marian Wright Edelman, a prominent, international child advocate, Freedom Schools match students from Kindergarten through Twelfth grade in vulnerable communities with college students aspiring to be teachers with the goal of increasing literacy skills for its participants (who we refer to as scholars).
NCCF’s Freedom Schools have sites all across the District of Columbia through after-school programming along with providing six-week summer camps. Freedom Schools have served youth at the Kennedy Short-term Family Housing Program, the Sterling Short-term Family Housing Program, the New York Avenue Family Shelters, and at the former DC General Family Shelter (the site of the first Freedom School in a homeless family shelter in the nation). Over the last three years, the Freedom School team has served close to 300 scholars and has engaged 25 servant leaders.
At the end of each school year and summer camp, each scholar leaves the program with their favorite books that they are able to take home and begin building their own home libraries.
Contact information: La’Mont Geddis,
Email: lgeddis@nccf-cares.org
J.C. Nalle Community School prepares its students to become world citizens and their families to be champions for the academic success of their children. The outcomes attest to the increase in academic proficiency for children and to a school culture that ensures achievement of its vision statement: The mission of J.C. Nalle Community School is to promote the development of the community and family’s ability to foster each child’s dream collectively, in a safe place, and with academic excellence.
The J.C. Nalle Community School, is an evidence-based community school model located in the East of the River, Ward 7 community of the District of Columbia. J.C. Nalle is the first of its kind in Washington, DC. Through partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools, Freddie Mac Foundation, and Children’s Aid Society, NCCF produced the first turn-around school for Reading in the District, and has been the non-profit, community school program leader for the last 20 years.
The Community School model offers innovative academic and cultural enrichment activities, structured out-of-school time, mental health support, and parental support to students and their families. This rich partnership allows NCCF the opportunity to bring community leaders, resources and organizations to further enhance academic success and social development of students by exposing them to experiences beyond what their neighborhoods offer. A few notable long-lasting partnerships include: Project Hope with DC Police officers, Guitars not Guns, DC Mamba Street Hockey, Community Cares Community Does: Leadership and Mediation classes, and A Day of Fun at the University of Maryland, TG4E Inc. (Tennis and Gold for Everyone).
Every day in classrooms across the National Capital Region, students struggle with poverty a condition which is brought about through no fault of their own. They may struggle quietly, and focus on their school assignments only, too ashamed to reach out to the other children. Others don’t pay attention in class because their shoes are too tight, or their teeth hurt, or they are hungry. Others may avoid attending school because of their fear of being bullied. 42% of the children in the National Capital region are poor. Poverty devours childhood, assaults hopefulness, and prevents young minds from learning and becoming academic scholars.
TNK partners with 10 regional school districts with a total body of 800,000 students across 1,140 schools and educational facilities. Of those students, some 335,000 are deeply affected by poverty and need assistance…
