Dreamer & Drake Volunteer Reading at "Books & Bagels"
For some kids, dreams die early. Hope fades. A million kids drop out of school every year, costing us–all of us–more than $200 billion annually. For these kids, the early promise of a successful life is broken.
One Man’s Dream
Eugene Lang, a New York businessman, realized this back in 1981 when he surprised an audience, and himself, at his alma mater in East Harlem, by making an impromptu promise of college scholarships to the entire sixth grade class if they graduated from high school. Lang made good on his promise, and though only 25% were expected to graduate, 90% of these sixth graders received their high school diplomas or GED certificates, and 60% of them went on to higher education. Today, there are 75 “I Have a Dream” projects in 37 cities and 20 states. Collectively since 1981, over 13,500 disadvantaged children heave been served. You can get more information from the National “I Have A Dream” website www.ihaveadreamfoundation.org
History of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation
Des Moines
The Des Moines “I Have A Dream” Foundation was founded in 1990 as an independent 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Once funding is secured, we identify and “adopt” groups of low-income elementary school children deemed to be at high risk of becoming school dropouts. We establish a comprehensive program of tutoring, mentoring and enrichment for that group and agree to provide comprehensive long-term program support for every child from elementary school through high school. I Have a Dream’s ultimate goal is for each Dreamer to graduate from high school prepared to pursue a higher education or a fulfilling career. Since its inception, Des Moines “I Have A Dream” has grown to three Dreamer classes serving over 150 students and their families.