Children in Memphis need our help.
Did you know that almost half of our kids live in poverty? That may not surprise you, because Memphis is consistently at the top of the charts for people living in poverty.
This puts a real strain on how a child learns. Poverty creates a lot of challenges, like inadequate housing, higher stress levels, and more frequent health problems—and that puts a real strain on how a child learns, because low-income children are more likely to miss out on school and miss important learning milestones.
On the flip side, however, when Memphians see a problem, we are quick to step into action. Maybe that’s why we ranked high on the charts as one of the most generous cities in 2019.
When the pandemic sent kids home from school in the spring, Give901 put out a call to Memphians to help our youngest children who cannot afford to fall behind in reading. You responded quickly and helped us put books in the hands of 1,400 low-income children.
Now, with more kids staying at home, learning virtually, many will miss out on the critical resources provided by their schools all year: food, books and learning supplies. We cannot let the need for essential tools dictate how our most vulnerable students will perform.
When over 60% of low-income children don’t have books in their home and aren’t reading at grade level, and over 80% fall short on math proficiency, it’s critical we get learning kits into the hands of these students immediately.
*Reading and math skills are an indicator of whether a child will graduate from high school, get accepted into college, and earn a higher wage*
Give901 is gathering school supplies, books, math and science activity packets, and learning materials for over 2,000 low-income children enrolled in K-8th grade at twelve different schools in Memphis.
Every gift helps.
Give901 is asking Memphians to help raise $30,000 for Fall Learning Kits for 2,000 students. Your donation will put a Fall Learning Kit in the hands of a child this September. Donate any amount, or give the cost of one Fall Learning Kit— $25—and ensure that a child has these important learning tools. Every dollar given at www.give901.org will go directly to purchase learning packets and books for the Kits. At Choose901 we believe that if we invest in our city, it’ll continue to grow as a rich and diverse haven for arts, culture, and enterprise. And that starts with the kids.
