As we close out the month, CIS of Atlanta would like to thank Mercedes-Benz USA for their generosity. In partnership with Greatness Lives Here, CIS of Atlanta received an in-kind donation of three Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Vans to assist with COVID-19 relief efforts. In this past couple of months, these vans have helped us ✅deliver meals ✅ transport our students ✅ provide laptops and hotspots ✅ distribute trunks full of college supplies ✅ transport to school and home visit

Our Student Support Coaches, Chareé, Jessica C., and Jessica J., and Deputy Director of Programs, Rigo, hosted a meet and greet for their team of NFL (Notable Future Leaders) at Booker T. Washington High School. The purpose of the event was to motivate students during this challenging school year. Chareé says, “We just want to tell our students to continue to hang in there and try to do their very best in this virtual environment. We care for them and will continue to support

This past month, Valencia, our Site Coordinator at Maynard H. Jackson High School, made a couple of home visits to her students in order to reward them for their perfect attendance in September. She delivered bags filled with school supplies, stress balls, and a variety of candy, chips, and drinks. In this new world of virtual learning, it is important for our site coordinators to maintain their relationships with their students and families as well. These home visits ensure

Stanley, one of our site coordinators, assisted with the Mobile Food Pantry at his church, New Life Presbyterian Church, yesterday! All these boxes and bags that you see behind Stanley were all filled with food. Community members were able to drive through the church to pick up these bags. They served over 300 families in South Fulton! A report from the U.N. predicts that the coronavirus pandemic could cause up to 132 million people to go hungry in 2020. As millions of Americ

Felton, our Site Coordinator at Heritage Elementary School, and Kedric Sledge, the school’s Social Worker, delivered gift bags to all of their school’s bus drivers. These bags were filled with hand sanitizers, Heritage mask (Jaguar), and a device that opens the door without touching the handle. The bags were sponsored by Principal Turner Principal and were a hit!

Shirkia, our Site Coordinator at Boyd Elementary School, created another great perfect attendance incentive. Attendance is one of their school-wide goals at Boyd Elementary. The transition to virtual learning has not changed the importance of this. By the end of September, 137 students accepted the challenge and logged in every day and remained engaged in learning. Shirkia wanted her students to “fall in love with learning,” and that helped build the fall-themed van this time

When our students had to switch to virtual learning back in March, we discovered a great need for laptops and hotspots. Unfortunately, that need has hit our low-income communities the hardest as many are still awaiting the necessary technology. Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have set up a COVID-19 Emergency Fund to help better serve our students and families during these unprecedented times. As of now, we have distributed over 300 laptops and hotspots to our student

For 60 minutes they battled, but this picture is an example of the brotherhood formed off the field through our CIS of Atlanta Locker Room Leadership Program. In this program, both Justin Eboigbe (University of Alabama) and Devonte Wyatt (University of Georgia) spend their time during the off-season, or a few minutes of spare time they have during the season, to speak to student-athletes aspiring to play on the collegiate level. Both young men played great games and represent

Donnette Crooks, “Ms. Dee,” is our Site Coordinator at John Lewis Invictus Academy. Each month, she hosts a perfect attendance celebration. Normally, she would wheel this cart of goodies around the school to her students. However, since students are learning virtually, she stationed herself at the front of the school and asked parents to drive by the school to pick up their children’s goodie bags. For the families without transportation, she brought their bags to their indivi

This past month, our Program Manager, Etolya and our site coordinators, Temeka (College Park ES), Tamika (H.E. Holmes ES), Ratiesha (Woodland MS), Jonelle (Conley ES), Felicia (Gullatt ES), Stanley (Parklane ES), and Angela (Nolan ES) picked up, packed, and transported supplies to the families that we serve thanks to a partnership with United Way. Our team also donated hygiene kits, school supplies, and literary activities to H.E. Holmes Elementary School. We are grateful for