As Freedom School Kicks Off, We’re Looking Ahead

June 13 kicked off our annual Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® program. For six weeks each summer, Emmaus House hosts this summer enrichment program to help children lacking educational resources improve literacy and close the achievement gap. Summers are critical, as children routinely lose up to two months’ worth of learning during this time. This “summer slide” accounts for more than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income students.

During our last two programs, 100% of the scholars we assessed either maintained or improved their reading level. Some gained more than a year in functional reading ability.

Even as we celebrate the commencement of another inspiring program, we’re planning for next year’s program, and a large part of that is finances. We estimate the cost of our Freedom School program to be roughly $50 per day for each student. That’s 85 students over a 6-week period. This includes instruction, meals, counseling, and enrichment activities. The cost is high, but the result is transformative.

This year’s fundraising campaign runs through June 30. Our goal is to raise $22,000 to help cover the costs of this and next year's program. We’re excited to announce that, if we meet this goal, one of our supporters has agreed to match all donations dollar-for-dollar. The only way we can do it is with your help.

Please visit our donation page to learn more about the program and its impact. We’re not just teaching children to read, we’re lifting up entire communities one child at a time. Your gift is a message of hope and encouragement to those who need it most. We are so grateful for your support.