Mission & Vision
Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
We envision a community where every child and family thrives and is positioned for positive economic mobility.
- Our evidence-based model connects students to caring adults and community resources.
- These connections transform how they see and experience the world.
- CIS surrounds students with a network of trust that they can consistently turn to.
- We empower students to confront and overcome personal challenges and structural barriers.
- We support students so that they can take charge of their education and their futures.
Message from the CEO
It is no secret that young people flourish when supported by a community of caring adults. At Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CIS), we are driven by a powerful vision: to ensure that our education system is equitable and unlocks the full potential of every student, regardless of their economic status, race, or zip code.
Our Site Coordinators play a pivotal role in realizing this vision, helping young people thrive daily by ensuring they have the necessary resources to succeed. Thanks to their efforts, an increasing number of students are becoming first-generation college students. Moreover, more students are now prepared to enter the workforce or enlist in military service, contributing to a more prosperous economy and a thriving Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.
The 2022-23 school year was a positive year of growth for CIS. We are advancing toward our goal of having a CIS presence in all CMS Title I (high-poverty) schools. Much of that progress is thanks to you, our donors, partners and friends. We are grateful for your support and are pleased to share these highlights from FY 2022-23 with you:
- 6,395 students received individual case-management services through CIS. This is a 20% increase over the number of students served in the previous year.
- 33,000+ additional students received support from CIS through broad, school-wide initiatives.
- 640 (99%) of CIS seniors graduated, with 88% planning to attend college and 5% planning to enter the military or workforce.
- We entered two new Title I schools, supporting our two-fold goal of closing school feeder pattern gaps and serving more Title I schools. Currently we serve 56 CMS schools, 44 of which are Title I.
- We piloted a new initiative, Attendance+, designed to improve attendance outcomes for chronically absent students. With promising results, we implemented the program in multiple CIS sites this school year.
- We launched an Alumni Program to support CIS graduates as they pursue their post-secondary plans.
CIS believes every student deserves an education and equitable opportunities that lead to a successful future. By building trusting relationships with students and parents, CIS can address the root cause of challenges, help students identify and overcome barriers, and set them on a path to success.
We are proud of the impact CIS has made on thousands of students this past year, but know there are thousands more in need of our services. Thank you for joining us in this important work and supporting our mission to provide all students with the tools they need to lead successful, fulfilling lives.
Men Tchaas Ari, President and CEO
Our Commitment to Educational Equity
"CIS believes that race, socioeconomic status or the neighborhood in which one lives should not predicate student outcomes. Ensuring that all students have equitable school experiences and opportunities is foundational to our mission, and infused in everything we do. CIS-Charlotte is committed to removing systemic inequalities present in our educational system. We help champion solutions so that students can achieve success in school and in life.
– Men Tchaas Ari, President and CEO
Who We Serve
During the 2022-23 school year, CIS provided targeted case-management services to 6,395 students in 56 CMS schools. CIS primarily serves “Title I” schools, which means the majority of students live in households near or below the poverty line. The number of Title I schools in CMS continues to rise; today, more than half of CMS schools (102 of 184) are designated Title I.
Title I Schools in CMS
102 of 184 CMS schools are Title I.
| Title I | 56% |
|---|---|
| Non-Title I | 44% |
Household Income
- 63% of CIS students are from households earning less than $35,000 annually.
- 83% of students live in households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Ethnicity
90% of CIS students identify as either Black or Latinx.
| Black | 59% |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 31% |
| White | 3% |
| Asian | 2% |
| Multi-Racial | 3% |
| Not Listed | 2% |
How We Serve
CIS places full-time, trained professionals – our Site Coordinators – inside schools to connect students to resources and relationships they need to be successful in school and beyond. Site Coordinators help students identify and overcome roadblocks in their way, while ensuring they have equitable opportunities and the support they need to achieve their full potential.
Key Areas of Focus
- Basic Needs
- Life Skills
- College & Career Prep
- Family Engagement
- Academics
- Social-Emotional Growth
- Physical Health
Our Site Coordinators are:
- Full-time, trained professionals
- Positioned within schools to provide a daily, trusted presence
- In schools to help students identify and overcome barriers keeping them from success
- During FY 2023, our Site Coordinators provided 112,000+ targeted interventions to students and their families.
Specialized Interventions
In addition to our core services for students in grades K-12, CIS-Charlotte provides the following programs that address specific challenges of youth in our community:
A program for teen parents and their children ages birth to five. The goal is to assist teen parents in completing high school and delay additional pregnancies, while strengthening their parenting skills and connections with their children, families and community.
- 91 teen parents and 87 of their children received services in FY 2021-22.
A federally funded program providing college access/admissions support to students from
low-income backgrounds and/or who are first generation in their family to attend college.
- 911 students in grades 9-12 were enrolled in TRiO in FY 2021-22
Provides support and resources for recently arrived immigrant/refugee/ELL (English Language Learner) students, many of whom have experienced trauma and extreme emotional/physical distress.
- 217 students received targeted case-management services in FY 2021-22.
Program Outcomes
0
students received targeted case-management services in 56 CMS schools.
0
additional students received broad, school-wide services.
0
%
of CIS students stayed in school.
0
%
were promoted to the next grade.
0
%
of students’ identified goals were met or progress was made.
0
%
were not chronically absent.* (“chronically absent” is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year)
0
(99%) CIS seniors graduated.
89% of CIS graduates planned to attend a 2-4 year college or university.
5% of CIS graduates planned to join the military or the workforce.
0
+
partner companies, groups, and individuals donated time or resources.
Financial Donors
Special thanks to the following for their financial support from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.
Financial Summary
July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023*
Financial Support by Source
| Individuals/Family Foundations | 5,285,561 |
|---|---|
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | 1,754,129 |
| Corporations/Organizations | 919,399 |
| Mecklenburg County | 900,000 |
| State of North Carolina | 430,000 |
| Private Foundations | 417,500 |
| Charlotte Merchants Foundation | 400,000 |
| Federal Government | 334,465 |
| In Kind Contributions | 159,359 |
| Religious Organizations/Civic Groups | 144,535 |
| Total Financial Support | $10,744,948 |
Expenses (by Function)
| Program Services | 7,856,435 |
|---|---|
| Management/General | 997,590 |
| Fundraising | 862,220 |
| Total Expenses | $9,716,245 |
Net Assets
| Total Net Assets | $14,833,313 |
|---|
*Based on Audited Financial Statements by Foard and Company.
Meet Our Graduates in the Class of 2023!
We are proud of our 640 graduating Seniors in the Class of 2023! Please meet three of our graduates below.
Community Partners
Thanks to our formal partnership with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, we have the opportunity to facilitate relationships between local organizations and students who need their services.
CIS in the News: The Power of Mentoring
Contributors of Goods and Services
Many thanks to the following for their contributions of goods and services from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.
Meet Our DifferenceMakers® CLT
After a pause during the pandemic, our DifferenceMakers® CLT progam is back! Generously funded by The Gambrell Foundation, DifferenceMakers® CLT is an inter-generational leadership program that provides students with connections to community leaders, intentional workshops, a social justice capstone project, and a transformational trip to Washington, D.C. Check out this video of our most recent DifferenceMakers® cohort, who traveled to Washington in August 2023. Visit this web page to learn more about this unique leadership program.
Generously funded by
Thank You to our Event Sponsors
All In For Kids: A Week of Giving
October 24-28, 2022
Thank you to everyone who supported our All In For Kids: A Week of Giving virtual event in November 2022, especially our Board members, individual donors, and our Event Sponsors.
Dine Out For Kids®
June 20, 2023
Thank you to our event sponsors, participating restaurants, and everyone in the community for making Dine Out For Kids® a fantastic event in 2023!
Thank You to our Participating Restaurants
- Ace No. 3
- Alexander Michael’s
- Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
- Brixx Wood Fired Pizza
- Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
- Dilworth Neighborhood Grille
- Eddie's Place
- Famous Toastery of University
- The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters
- Harper’s Restaurant
- HMSHost
- Johnny Burrito
- Kona Ice of Cabarrus County
- Little Mama’s
- Mama Ricotta’s
- Mert’s Heart & Soul
- Midwood Smokehouse
- Mimosa Grill
- Paco’s Tacos and Tequila
- Sonny's BBQ
- Three Amigos Mexican Kitchen & Cantina
- Village Tavern
- YAFO Kitchen
Thank You to Our Event Sponsors
Board of Directors, 2023-24
| Veronica Calderon, CIS Board Chair | DeVry University |
| Bradley Brown | Ally Financial Inc. |
| Niles K. Brown | Grant Thornton LLP |
| Laetitia Dowd | Dowd Advisory |
| Yulonda D. Griffin | Mecklenburg County |
| Vida C. Harvey | Novant Health |
| Dwight Jacobs | Duke Energy |
| Andy Kalbaugh | Civic Leader |
| Steve Lank | Financial Resources Group Investment Services |
| Shivani Mehta | Atrium Health |
| Steve Menaker | RSM US LLP |
| Kenya Moses | NSI Industries |
| Eric Norris | Albemarle Corporation |
| Laura Poole | Capitol |
| Ty Chandler Robinson | Sunbelt Rentals |
| Nate Salley | Audible Coaching and Consulting |
| Mordecai Scott | Loftin & Co. Printers |
| Tom Scrivener | Bank of America |
| Diamond R. Staton-Williams | Atrium Health |
| Maxine W. Swayne | US Bank |
| John A. Tate III | Civic Leader |
Our Team
Learn more about our Program Team and how we deliver Comprehensive Services through our Site Coordinators.
CMS Schools Currently Served by CIS
Elementary Schools
PK-8 Schools
Middle Schools
High Schools
Elementary Schools
- Albemarle Road
- Briarwood
- Bruns Avenue
- Cotswold
- Devonshire
- Hidden Valley
- Highland Renaissance
- Merry Oaks
- Newell
- Oakdale
- Rama Road
- Reid Park
- Shamrock Gardens
- Statesville Road
- Sterling
- Tuckaseegee
- University Park
- Westerly Hills
- Winding Springs
- Winterfield
PK-8 Schools
- Ashley Park
- Berryhill
- Druid Hills
- Governor’s Village
- Marie G. Davis
- Renaissance West
- Thomasboro
- Walter G. Byers
Middle Schools
- Albemarle Road
- Alexander Graham
- Cochrane / iMeck (6-12)
- Coulwood
- Eastway
- James Martin
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- McClintock
- Quail Hollow
- Ranson
- Sedgefield
- Whitewater
- Wilson
High Schools
- Butler*
- East Mecklenburg
- Garinger
- Harding
- Hopewell
- Independence
- Julius L. Chambers
- Mallard Creek*
- Myers Park
- Olympic
- P.A.C.E. Academy
- Phillip O. Berry
- Rocky River
- South Mecklenburg
- West Charlotte
- West Mecklenburg
* Only our Safe Journey (teen parents) program is offered at these two high schools.
Stay Connected
Have you considered including CIS in your will or estate plan? Your planned gift with CIS will enable us to plan for the future and ensure that future generations have every opportunity to succeed and live purposeful, meaningful lives. It’s easy to get started – learn more on our Planned Giving page or contact a member of our Advancement Team.
© 2023 CIS Charlotte-Mecklenburg | All Rights Reserved