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CIS-Charlotte to Hold its Signature Community Event, Dine Out For Kids®, on June 21

CHARLOTTE, NC – Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CIS-Charlotte) will hold its signature community event, Dine Out For Kids®, on Tuesday, June 21. The event is a popular CIS-Charlotte tradition that provides a fun, easy way to support kids in public schools and local restaurants.

The concept is simple:  Dine out – or order takeout – at any of the participating restaurants on Tuesday, June 21, and the restaurants will automatically donate a percentage of their sales that day to Communities In Schools. No tickets or reservations needed (unless the restaurant typically takes reservations). 

In addition to the June 21 date, Black Business Owners Corporation (BBOC) will donate a portion of its Black Food Truck Friday sales on Friday, June 17 to CIS. Black Food Truck Friday now has a permanent location in uptown at 1600 W. Trade Street. The hours are 4:00 to 9:00 pm.

CIS-Charlotte connects students and their families to the resources and support they need to be successful in school and in life. Services include basic needs (food, clothing, utilities), attendance monitoring and support, academic and cultural enrichment, college/career readiness, social-emotional learning and mental health supports, parent engagement, mentoring, life and leadership skills development, and opportunities for social capital and networking/access. Over 4,000 students each year in 55 selected Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools receive comprehensive case-management services; another 30,000 students receive broad, school-wide services.

Since returning to the classroom this school year, CIS staff have seen first-hand the devastating effects that interrupted instruction, remote learning, and social isolation have had on students. The pandemic has disproportionately impacted people of color and those from low-income households. These are the families that CIS-Charlotte serves, with 90% identifying as Black or Latinx, and more than 70% earning less than $35,000 annually. Many students are having difficulty readjusting to in-person learning and struggling with social-emotional and trauma-related mental health issues, affecting their ability to focus on learning. Some have stopped attending classes altogether.

Today CIS-Charlotte has three primary areas of focus:  1) helping students reengage in their learning and recover from academic and social-emotional losses; 2) enhancing college and career readiness programming to ensure that every graduating senior has a post-secondary life plan for success; and 3) expansion of CIS services to support more students and schools who need additional resources.

“It was another tough year for students and teachers, as they continue to recover from the effects of school closures and remote learning,” said May Johnston, CIS-Charlotte’s Public Relations Director. “But here’s an opportunity where the entire Charlotte community can show their support and rally around our kids, our public schools, and our local restaurants. A truly terrific reason to take a break from the kitchen and go out to eat.”

Dine Out For Kids® is generously supported by corporate sponsors Bank of America, HMS Host, Duke Energy-Piedmont Natural Gas, Black Business Owners Corporation (BBOC), Truliant Federal Credit Union, and Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance.

Visit www.cischarlotte.org/dine-out-for-kids-2022 for details and the complete list of participating restaurants.

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About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools (CIS), operating in 2,900+ schools across the country, is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future. An affiliate of the national CIS network, CIS of Charlotte-Mecklenburg operates in 55 Charlotte-Mecklenburg public Schools (CMS), partnering with individual volunteers, businesses, faith and community groups to connect students to caring adults and community resources designed to help them succeed. Communities In Schools does whatever it takes to ensure that all students – regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background – has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. www.cischarlotte.org

 List of Participating Restaurants 2022 (as of May 24, 2022)
(visit this link for an updated list as we add more restaurants)