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2024-25 ANNUAL REPORT

By The Numbers

46,259

Total Students Served

99%

of Individualized Support Students Remained In School

98,868

Unique Student Supports 

4,136

Students Received Individualized Support

97%

of Individualized Support Students Graduated or were Protected

27,274  

Hours of Support Provided

73

Title I Schools Served

85%

of Individualized Support Students had No Suspensions

91%

Attendance Rate

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STANDING STRONG FOR ATLANTA’S STUDENTS

Dear Friends,

Every day, I witness the strength and determination of Atlanta’s students. They show up—often facing challenges that would stop most adults in their tracks. They still find the courage to dream, to strive, and to rise. That’s what inspires our work at Communities In Schools of Atlanta. We don’t just believe in our students; we stand beside them, breaking down barriers and building the support systems they need to succeed in school and in life.

This past year, our impact was powerful. More than 4,100 students received intensive support through our site coordinators, while over 46,000 students benefited from school-wide programs that promote connection, stability, and achievement. And the results speak volumes—99% of our students receiving intensive support stayed in school, and 97% graduated or were promoted to the next grade. Behind every number is a young person whose future is brighter because someone cared enough to walk with them.

But let’s be clear: this kind of progress doesn’t happen without intention. It happens because CIS of Atlanta is deeply embedded in 73 Title I schools—doing the hard, often unseen work of uniquely meeting the needs of our students. Whether it’s access to food and clothing, behavior intervention, mental health support, tutoring, or college and career preparation, our team shows up every single day to make sure no student is left behind.

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we also know the work ahead demands more of us. The needs are greater.  I believe now more than ever that we are built for this moment. To keep delivering life-changing support, we must strengthen the investment that fuels our mission and grow our capacity to positively impact the lives of students who need us most.

Looking forward, our focus is deepening our impact. We’re advancing postsecondary and alumni support, prioritizing mental and emotional wellness, and ensuring every student has the tools and confidence to thrive beyond graduation.

Atlanta’s students deserve nothing less than our best. And with your continued partnership, we will keep standing strong—for them, with them, and because of them.

With gratitude and purpose,

Frank Brown, Esq.

Chief Executive Officer

Communities In Schools of Atlanta

Message from the Board Chair 

"At Communities In Schools of Atlanta, we stand beside students who show incredible resilience in the face of challenge. When we connect them with the right relationships and resources, they discover their own strength and realize what’s possible. Every success story reminds us that consistent, caring support can change the course of life. That’s why I am proud to stand with this organization and the community that believes in its mission.” 
 

– Yglesias Hollins 
Board Chair 

OUR MODEL

​Bringing Community Resources Inside Schools

 

CIS of Atlanta places caring staff directly inside schools to identify barriers to learning and connect students to the resources they need to thrive. We do this through a tiered approach by working with the entire school, targeted, small groups of students, and those in need of intensive, individualized ongoing support. This evidence-based model transforms schools into hubs of support, ensuring that every student has access to food, clothing, mental health care, academic assistance, and trusted relationships that promote success. 

 

Our site coordinators work hand in hand with teachers, counselors, families, and community partners to build a safety net around each student. Through this holistic approach, CIS of Atlanta addresses the whole child — academically, socially, and emotionally — so that challenges outside the classroom don’t stand in the way of success inside it.

By surrounding students with a community of support, we help them stay in school, graduate, and build brighter futures for themselves, their families, and their communities. 

CIS Model of Service

TIER 1: School-Wide Services

 

Our school-wide services and resources are designed to foster a positive school climate and address school-level risk factors that are open to all students. Examples of Tier 1 resources or services include vision and dental screenings, parent engagement opportunities, school supply and food distribution programs, and attendance incentives.

TIER 2: Targeted Group Support

 

Our targeted group support activities are designed to help groups of students who are working to overcome similar barriers. Those areas include math and reading tutoring, violence prevention, mentoring groups, backpack meals, risky behavior initiatives, and smoking cessation.

TIER 3: Individualized, Intensive Supports

 

Our individualized, intensive supports is our most intense level of service and where we spend the majority of our time working with students. Regular check-ins during school, supportive one-on-one sessions, home visits, and referrals to outside support, such as mental health and housing resources, among others, are crucial to ensuring our students succeed.

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Our People In Schools: The Heart of Our Work

 

At the center of everything we do are our school-based site coordinators. These dedicated professionals work full time inside schools to remove barriers that stand in the way of student success. They listen, connect, advocate, and act—bringing resources, relationships, and real solutions directly to where they are needed most.

Each site coordinator is uniquely trained to identify what a student needs to succeed, whether that’s access to food, tutoring, mentoring, mental health services, or simply a caring adult who believes in them. They collaborate closely with teachers, administrators, families, and community partners to ensure that every student receives the right level of support at the right time.

In the 2024–25 school year, our staff provided over 25,000 hours of direct support, meeting countless student needs. Their tireless commitment to Atlanta’s youth ensures that CIS of Atlanta’s model is more than a theory; it is a daily practice of compassion, accountability, and measurable impact.

Our site coordinators are more than educators or mentors; they are lifelines. Because of them, students who once felt unseen are now thriving in school and looking forward to the future with confidence. 

Emergency Assistance*:    Total: $259,795        K-12: $156,737    Alumni: $103,058

*Assistance provided to secure basic needs for students and families such as food, clothing, and housing and utility stabilization

WHO WE SERVE

In the 2024 – 2025 school year, CIS of Atlanta served students across 73 schools in six metro Atlanta districts, providing both schoolwide support and intensive, individualized supports. Our students represent the full diversity of our region—and share one common trait: the desire to succeed when given the chance.

 

During the 2024–25 school year, CIS of Atlanta served 46,259 total students across partner schools, with 4,136 students receiving individualized, intensive support.

Our students are future leaders, innovators, and community builders. They reflect the strength and promise of Atlanta itself.

Schools Served

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Gender Demographics

1

Non-Binary

2

Transgender

2,268

Female

1,863

Male

2

Other

Racial Demographics

3,472

African American

529

Hispanic/Latino

46

AAPI

35

White

36

Multi-racial

10

Native American

8

Other

Each data point represents a student whose story has been changed by connection, compassion, and opportunity. CIS of Atlanta exists to ensure that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to the relationships and resources that lead to success.

LOOKING AHEAD

CIS of Atlanta is entering the next chapter of our work with clarity and purpose. As student needs grow more complex, our commitment to removing barriers to success remains unwavering. Through Vision 2026, our comprehensive strategic plan, we are focused on deepening our impact and ensuring that every student we serve receives the full benefit of our proven model. 

Our priorities are clear:

1

SECURE BASIC NEEDS

Ensure students and families have consistent access to food, clothing, housing, and emergency assistance.

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3

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Address chronic absenteeism through personalized interventions and family engagement.

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5

POST-HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS

Bolster college, career, and alumni programming to support long-term stability and opportunity.

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2

SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Deliver trauma-informed practices and connect students to counseling and mental health resources.

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4

GRADUATION & PROMOTION

Help every student stay on track academically and successfully move to the next grade or graduate.

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As we enter 2026- the final year of our current five-year strategic plan- we remain focused on ensuring that students are promoted to the next grade and graduate on time, while also supporting their pathways to excel in post-secondary opportunities. At the same time, we are looking ahead and beginning the work to shape our next five-year strategic plan.

 

We know that success depends on collective effort—on families, educators, community partners, and supporters like you. Together, we will continue building a stronger, more connected Atlanta where every student not only stays in school, but thrives beyond it.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIALS

Operating Revenue

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Operating Expenses

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DONOR LIST

Communities in Schools of Atlanta gratefully acknowledges those who support during FY 2025 made our work possible. This list reflects major donors to CIS of Atlanta and may include support to more than one area, as well as in-kind support. This list is limited to contributions of $10,000 or more: however, we also extend our deepest appreciation to the hundreds of donors who support us with critically needed smaller gifts.

President's Circle

$100,000+

Alston & Bird    

     

Atlanta Housing Authority  

     

Atlanta Public Schools 

     

City of Atlanta

     

City Schools of Decatur

       

Clayton County Public Schools

Communities In Schools, Inc.  

       

Dekalb County Public Schools 

       

Fidelity Foundation

       

Fulton County Public Schools

   

Georgia Department of Education

       

James M. Cox Foundation 

       

Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation

       

Mercedes- Benz USA

       

Multi-Agency Alliance for Children

 

QuikTrip Community Foundation

 

Roark Capital Group 

 

The Coca-Cola Foundation, Inc. 

 

The Goizueta Foundation     

Dean's Circle

$50,000-$99,999

Morgens West Foundation 

Purpose Built Communities Foundation Inc.

Sandy Hook Promise Foundation

                            

The Imlay Foundation, Inc.

                            

The Zeist Foundation                    

Professor's Circle 

$25,000-$49,999

    

Annie E. Casey Atlanta Civic Site

Cox Enterprises

Deloitte Foundation

Fulton County Community Services Program

Georgia-Pacific Foundation

John H. and Wilhelmina D. Harland Charitable Foundation Inc.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation Inc. 

Valedictorian's Circle

$10,000-$24,999

AEC Trust

                               

AlixPartners

 

America's Charities 

 

Anonymous 

Anonymous 

DeKalb County - Human Services

Georgia Power Company 

Georgia Power Foundation

Inspire Brands Foundation

Invesco

JLL

Jonathan and Laura Epstein

Journey for Good Foundation

King & Spalding

Lithia and Driveway

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

The Jack and Anne Glenn Foundation

​Toole Design Group

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Yglesias Hollins, Chair

Director

Community Development

The Coca-Cola Company

Josh Hirsh, Vice Chair

Executive Managing Director

JLL

Bert O’Neal, Treasurer

Managing Director

Roark Capital Group

Sarah Spiegel, Secretary

Managing Director

Roark Capital Group

Latanza Adjei

VP, Corporate Services

Georgia Power Company

Eric Barnum

Partner

BakerHostetler

Nell Campbell-Drake

VP, Retail Payment Office

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Jason Fullman

Director - Customer Excellence

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

Whitney Gerkin

AVP, Operational Excellence

Cox Automotive

Ovie Mughelli

President

Business Development GA/SC/AL

Wellvana

Patrick O'Boyle

Senior Vice President

Corporate Development

Cox Enterprises, Inc.

Maurice Richard

EX-OFFICIO, NON-VOTING MEMBERS

 

Brian Harvel, Esq.

Partner, Alston & Bird LLP

Pro Bono Counsel

 

Frank Brown, Esq.

Chief Executive Officer

Communities In Schools of Atlanta

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“They have seen something in me that I’ve struggled to see in myself. It might not be a big step in the beginning, but the little steps turn into gigantic leaps. Communities In Schools of Atlanta is called that for one reason: communities are what keeps us together, and I feel like a lot of schools lack that, but this program maintains that strength of human-to-human connection." 

- Raul, 12th grader at Cross Keys High School

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