In 2023, we began engaging with families and community members in Clayton County to learn more about their desires for K-12 public education. In January 2024, we launched our Clayton County Grant Advisory Council. Nine grassroots leaders were selected to represent the entire Clayton County Public Schools district and advise us about current Clayton County initiatives, organizations supporting public schools, and family and community engagement.
Our first investment in Clayton County aims to strengthen family and community engagement in K-12 public education. We granted $100,000 towards family and community engagement programming, empowering families with tools and knowledge to support their child’s learning and education experience.
Each eligible nonprofit organization and public school serving Clayton County Public Schools students had the opportunity to apply for up to $25,000. This grant program has the potential to significantly impact the educational experience of our students and the operations of schools and organizations.
We are thrilled to introduce the 2024 Clayton County Community Engagement grantees and express our heartfelt gratitude for their partnership and dedication to our mission.
Riverdale Elementary School is part of the Clayton County Public School District. Its mission is to empower scholars to achieve academic, professional, and personal goals by providing equitable access and experiences that build literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills. The community engagement grant will support Riverdale’s Full Steam Ahead (FSA) program, an innovative initiative addressing math and literacy access for students, particularly those with disabilities, at Riverdale Elementary School.
Los Niños Primero (Children First) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to empower Latino students and their families from early childhood to college through holistic academic, leadership and community programs. The community engagement grant will help support year-round literacy and STEAM programs serving students at Fountain Elementary School and Unidos Dual Language School.
Family Literacy of Georgia, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aims to strengthen communities of color by increasing access to quality books and literacy resources. It sees children and their families reading for pleasure, making reading a lifelong adventure. The community engagement grant will help Family Literacy of Georgia equip parents with strategies and resources to support students’ literacy development in grades 5 to 8.
Clayton County Public Schools Magnet Programs support the mission of CCPS by providing scholars with choice programs designed to attract all Clayton County students. They take pride in their programs and continue to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by offering programs that attract students from different neighborhoods and backgrounds. The redefinED atlanta grant will support CCPSMP’s family and community engagement by promoting culturally responsive educational practices, academic success, educational involvement, and enhanced civic engagement for members of the Hispanic and Vietnamese communities.
“Partnering with families and the community is not just important, it’s essential to driving student outcomes and providing equitable education,” said Meiling Jabbaar, community engagement manager at redefinED atlanta. “The active involvement of the Clayton County community is a key factor that will help advance our mission of every child in every community receiving a great K-12 public education.”
The 2024 Clayton County Community Grant cycle will end on June 30, 2025. To learn more about the grant or to apply in the future, visit https://redefinedatlanta.org/investments/clayton-community-grant/.
