There is significant need for academic support services for at-risk youth in Texas, where the average age of a homeless child is just 7 years old. Keeping in line with our organizations goal we help the youth acquire the skills to succeed in school and throughout their lives. This is achieved through our after-school tutoring, individual, family and group counseling, and summer enrichment activities.
Students are referred to our program from school principals, teachers, school counselors, truancy officers, social workers, guardians and parents. An alarming portion of the students are living in homeless shelters, motels, cars, group foster homes, abandoned buildings, and sometimes on the actual streets of Dallas. The time the students spend at our facilities provide stability in a time of stress and transition.
With us they receive hot meals, snacks, and the opportunity to just be kids. Supporting their academic success breaks the cycle of homelessness and poverty. The general focus of the program is literacy, math concepts, STEM education, and homework assistance.
Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Chronic stress is also associated with living in poverty and has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. Source: American Psychological Association, 2016.
How We Help?
- After-school tutoring
- Reading above grade level
- Homework help
- SAT & ACT prep
- ACCUPLACER test prep
- College advising and Enrollment assistance
- Military ASVAB tutoring
Why We Offer This Program
The City of Dallas has become iconic for its wealth, great jobs, and upscale communities. Yet at its heart is —a city crippled by high poverty rates, crime, and gang activity. Growing up in Dallas is undoubtedly difficult for many. Living in poverty, our students have experienced firsthand how challenging life can be without a college education.
In fact, 85% of our youth are the first in their family to go to college, and, for many, the first to even graduate high school. However their struggles don’t end there. Many of our students also face food insecurity. We hear it many times over again “It’s hard to focus when you’re hungry.” This is why providing communities with nutritious food is at the core of our mission.
According to the nonprofit Homeless Children America – “Children who experience homelessness are twice as likely to repeat a grade in school, be expelled or suspended, and drop out of high school.” A study conducted by The National Center on Family Homelessness found that less than one out of four homeless youth even graduate from high school.