31 Reasons the Children of Houston Need Your Help
- School dropout affects EVERYONE!
- Houston has the fifth-highest dropout rate among the nation’s 50 largest cities.
- Between 2002 & 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 47 million jobs will need to be filled by people who have at least a high school diploma.
- Dropouts earn 30% less than high school graduates (2005 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau).
- Families who rely on public transportation are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities.
- More than 25% of preschoolers in this country have visible cavities before they even enter school (CDHP).
- Two-thirds of Texas inmates are high school dropouts.
- If all of the students who dropped out of the class of 2007 had graduated, their combined lifetime incomes would have boosted the American economy by $329 billion.
- 27.4% of the dropout population age 25 and over lives below the poverty line, requiring the help of the community to make ends meet.
- Children and adolescents living in poverty suffer twice as much tooth decay as their more affluent peers, and their disease is more likely to go untreated (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
- 99% of the children we serve receive some kind of public assistance.
- Half of the children we serve live with only one parent or guardian.
- 42% of the children we serve speak another language at home.
- The number of children who spend less than 83% of the school year at the same campus exceeds 20% statewide and 25% in the Houston Independent School District (Houston Chronicle, 2008).
- Not every child goes home to a house with electricity and running water.
- During the 2005/06 school year, Harris County lost 40% of its students to dropout.
- Tooth Decay remains the most prevalent chronic disease in children!
- Minority students consistently have the highest dropout rates: African American – 45%; Hispanic – 52%
- Teens that dropout are more likely to live in poverty and 3x more likely to be unemployed or working for poverty-level wages (CPPP, 2005).
- Schools have less sustainable money and are forced to cut programs
- In 2007, Texas had the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate & highest teen birth rate in U.S.
- Dropouts are 4x less likely to volunteer, half as likely to vote and represent only 3% of actively engaged citizens in our country today (National Summit on America’s Epidemic, 2007).
- High school dropouts are 8x more likely to be incarcerated (CPPP, 2006).
- 53.5 % of students in Harris County are at risk of dropping out of school (Children at Risk 2008-2010).
- Many families cannot afford to buy their children a winter jacket or a new pair of shoes for school.
- One in four children are born into poverty (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
- Tooth decay in children is trending upward—having increased 15% in young children over last decade.
- All children deserve a good education!
- Food prices have increased 83% in the last two years (www.actionaid.org) making it harder for some families to feed their children.
- Kids need positive role models.
- A child’s future is your future too!
31 Ways You Can Help
- Sponsor a student for $19/month or $228/year. Make a donation by clicking “Donate Today” on front page of website (www.cishouston.org).
- Make an in-kind donation that includes clothing, personal care and toys. Call Lillian James at 713-654-1515 x145.
- Tutor a student in Math. Call Julie Johnson at 713-654-1515 x165.
- Sign up for our mailing list. E-mail Heather Lopez at heatherm@cis-houston.org.
- Be a kid’s hero! To mentor a student, e-mail Julie Johnson at jjohnson@cis-houston.org.
- Attend an Outreach Luncheon. To receive a schedule, e-mail Cecilia Garcia Lee at cgarcialee@cis-houston.org.
- Bring a friend to an event!
- Join our team! E-mail your resume to hrresumes@cis-houston.org.
- Share your talents on our board. View our current board members by going to our website (www.cishouston.org) and clicking “Download Resources.”
- Become a Friend of CIS (FOCIS). To become a FOCIS member e-mail Jessica Reyes at jessica@cis-houston.org.
- Spread the word about CIS! Find CIS on MySpace and Facebook to join our cause.
- Help a student find an internship. E-mail Julie Johnson at jjohnson@cis-houston.org to share possible internship opportunities.
- Join our E-Mentoring program. E-mail Angelica Adams at angelica@cis-houston.org.
- Donate $13/month or $156/year to provide emergency assistance to a family.
- Become a holiday helper! Help our students celebrate the holidays by providing a toy or gift card by e-mailing Jessica Reyes at jessica@cis-houston.org.
- Employ a CIS student. E-mail Julie Johnson at jjohnson@cis-houston.org.
- Provide school supplies. To help make sure a student has what they need for school, e-mail Lillian James at lillian@cis-houston.org.
- Get involved in your child’s life!
- Celebrate our 30th anniversary by attending our annual gala. To join in the fun, e-mail Cecilia Garcia Lee at cgarcialee@cis-houston.org.
- Host an intern! E-mail Julie Johnson at jjohnson@cis-houston.org.
- Volunteer with one of our partners! See a list of our current partners by going to our website (www.cishouston.org).
- Join our program committee. Call Sylvia Teague at 713-654-1515 x118.
- Visit one of our campuses. Contact Kristen Schlatre at kschlatre@cis-houston.org.
- Donate $9/month or $108/year to provide a student with a complete dental exam.
- Become a “Friend for Life” by becoming a lifetime member of FOCIS.
- Sign your child up for a child membership to FOCIS.
- Host a toy/clothing drive. E-mail Jessica Reyes at jessica@cis-houston.org.
- Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter! Receive e-mail updates by signing up on our website (www.cishouston.org).
- Join our research committee. Call Lisa Harrison at 713-654-1515 x122.
- Sign up for service updates at www.usaservice.org.
- ‘Like’ us on Facebook. (www.facebook.com/cishouston)
