Join CIS-Charlotte as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Black Philanthropy Month, culminating tomorrow with CLT Gives Black on 8/28 ! "CLT Gives Black" is a call to action for our community to make financial gifts to Black-led and Black-benefiting nonprofits to support their important work.

This past school year, Communities In Schools provided targeted case-management services to nearly 4,200 students in grades PK-12 in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Of those, 95% were children of color, with 61% identifying as Black. It was a very challenging year, with increased basic needs for families, support for accessing and managing remote learning, and keeping kids engaged in school.

This school year, and the next several years, will be just as challenging. Our top priority is to work with CMS to locate "missing" students (those who missed 10%+ school days or who never showed up at all) and re-engage them in school. We must help all kids recover not only academically, but address their social-emotional development as well. In addition to reengagement and recovery, another top priority is to focus on how CIS as an organization can best address systemic disparities that so adversely affect children of color.

Throughout this month, CIS has highlighted several of our Black donors and volunteers, including Reggie Nelson, Kayla Witherspoon, Lorie Spratley and Cathay Dawkins - and we are most grateful for their generosity and commitment to kids.

We now invite the entire Charlotte community to support CIS-Charlotte and other Black-led and/or Black-benefiting organizations on Saturday, August 28 as part of CLT Gives Black. Thank you!