MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a year of uncertainty, school closings, and virtual classrooms, Memphis students and their parents struggle with the threat of devastating learning loss that disproportionately impacts low-income children. Give901 is raising $35,000 to put books and learning kits in the hands of over 3,000 low-income children in 12 different schools and programs across the city.
Before COVID-19, nearly 40% of Memphis children were living in poverty, with 80% being Black and LatinX children from inner city neighborhoods.
Of U.S. cities with more than 500,000 residents, only Detroit has a higher child poverty rate. We don’t yet know the impacts of the pandemic on our poverty problem, but it’s most likely going in the wrong direction.
Children from low-income families and communities already struggled in school compared to their peers in wealthier communities. Two-thirds of third-graders in Shelby County can’t read at grade level. Nearly 30% will never graduate from high school.
Data shows that children from low-income households have access to fewer books than students from wealthier neighborhoods. Literacy is one of the greatest indicators of learning proficiency, and Memphis kids lag far behind their peers. To help low-income students fight off more learning loss this summer, Give901 is putting books and learning kits in their hands.
For a second year, Give901 will distribute more than 3,000 books and learning kits to low-income children in K-12th grade. Summer Learning Kits include books, STEM activities, and learning tools that keep children engaged.
Starting Monday, April 5, we’re asking Memphians to help us raise $35,000 for Summer Learning Kits. $25 provides a Kit for a child—just go to www.give901.org to make your gift. You give, and we’ll get the books to the kids to kickstart a summer of learning for these young Memphians.
Give901 is a giving platform created by City Leadership and Choose901 to engage Memphians in supporting education in Memphis. We pass 100% of that support directly on to outstanding local education programs, including award-winning teacher training programs, innovative schools, and outstanding after-school mentoring programs.