Communities In Schools of the Nation’s Capital awarded 2023 Many Hands $100,000 Impact Grant

Many Hands leverages the power of collective giving to support nonprofits serving and empowering Washington, DC area women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. Since 2004, including the more than $300,000 in grants we announce today, Many Hands has granted more than $2.8 million to 46 nonprofit organizations.

The mission of Communities in Schools of the Nation’s Capital (CISNCAP) is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Incorporated in 2004, CISNCAP is the DC affiliate of the nation’s largest dropout prevention program, Communities in Schools, which has been successfully helping young people stay in school and transition to adulthood since 1977. During the 2022-23 school year, CISNCAP worked in ten DC public schools throughout Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8, reaching over 4,300 students and their families and providing intensive case management for more than 400 students.

Communities in Schools provides a unique model for putting students and families on a path to success. By placing dedicated staff members inside partner schools, CISNCAP is able to identify students at risk of dropping out. CISNCAP site coordinators work closely with school administrators to assess student needs, develop a support plan, and engage community partners and volunteers to address both academic and human service needs.

CISNCAP helps ensure that children feel safe and cared for and have secure access to shelter, food, clothing, and medical care. In addition, they support restorative justice programs, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) programs, after-school and lunchtime enrichment, family engagement, and resource clinics. The result is improved attendance, behavior, academic performance, retention rates, and graduation rates.