A landmark $2.5M federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education has been awarded to Clifford Beers Community Care Center in partnership with New Haven Public Schools and fourteen community organizations (including New Haven Reads) to form the Grand Avenue Learning Corridor Partnership.
The announcement took place on January 29. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker joined Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools, Dr. Madeline Negrón, several New Haven Alders, and representatives of Clifford Beers, NHR and other partners joined together for a press conference to talk about this terrific opportunity.
The grant will implement the Full-Service Community Schools Model and focuses on two schools: Fair Haven School and Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration (FAME Academy). The goal is to build strong academic foundations; cultivate students’ health, and mental health, improve stability and a healthy learning environment; facilitate accessible and culturally affirming programs, services and resources; and support ongoing school improvement. These wrap-around services and activities will include literacy interventions from New Haven Reads at Fair Haven School.
New Haven Reads Executive Director, Kirsten Levinsohn, said “New Haven Reads is thrilled to be part of this important effort in support of the Fair Haven School community. The power of a group of talented and passionate community members and organizations in conjunction with dedicated school personnel is formidable and boundless. We look forward to contributing to the long-term student success that this community work will bring.”
New Haven Reads is delighted to be one of the 14 community organizations and agencies in the Grand Avenue Learning Corridor Partnership. The others are: ARTE, Junta for Progressive Action, Catholic Charities of Centro San Jose, the New Haven Free Public Library, Fair Haven Community Health Care, the New Haven Federation of Teachers, United Way of Greater New Haven, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, the City of New Haven Youth and Recreation Department and Elderly Services Department, Dwight Hall at Yale, the City Wide Youth Coalition, and the Connecticut Violence Intervention Program.
Further reading: Clifford Beers Community Care Center Announcement, The New Haven Register, watch the video from WTNH, and read more in the New Haven Independent.