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NYC Kids RISE Newsletter

Posted on: August 20, 2019

Click here to read the February 2020 Newsletter

Click here to read the November 2019 Newsletter

August 2019 Newsletter

NYC’s Universal Scholarship and Savings Program

$1.1M deposited, Community Scholarships and more

We are going to be regularly sharing the latest updates from the Save for College Community. The Save for College Program provides a way for families, schools, communities, and the entire city to work together to save for every NYC public school student’s college and career training future. Together, we’re building a universal, community-driven asset-building platform to promote economic opportunity and equity for all New Yorkers, starting in School District 30, Queens.


Monthly Feature

NYC Kids RISE staff and community members celebrate over $300k deposited to NYC Scholarship Accounts

During the kindergarten stepping-up ceremony at P.S. 69 Jackson Heights, Queens, Seamless presented a check for $300,437.10 to participating students in the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program. Thanks to Seamless diners, District 30’s kindergarten and first-grade students received an additional $48 in each of their NYC Scholarship Accounts. In case you missed it, read more here.

By the Numbers: First Two Years

  • 95% – Eligible K and 1st grade students have an NYC Scholarship Account
  • 38 – All 38 elementary schools equipped with financial education lessons & activities for students and families
  • $0 – Successfully advocated for $0 minimum deposit required for college savings account options
  • $1.1M – Deposited by NYC Kids RISE & the community into students’ scholarship accounts
  • $350K – Raised in Community Scholarship by local organizations, large corporations and community
  • +1,200 – Families opened their own 529 or bank savings account and linked to program
  • +$750,000 – Collectively saved by families in their own 529 or bank savings account since linking to program

Spotlight

Jabari Brown, P.S. 234 Parent Coordinator

“What inspires me is that through the Save for College Program, we are starting to break down these walls and create a much higher sense of achievability when it comes to college expectations.” …continue reading.


2018-19 School Year In Review


We just concluded the Save for College Program’s second school year, with more than 6,400 families currently participating in the program across Astoria, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Woodside and Sunnyside. Below are some highlights from the year:

Expanded Program Rewards with a Savings Match

Building Block Party Group Picture_10.9.18

Since the October announcement, first-grade families that deposited into their own college savings accounts, received a match dollar-by-dollar, up to $100, in their children’s NYC Scholarship Accounts. To date, families have collectively earned more than $27,000 through the Savings Match. ICYMI – here’s the announcement.

Celebrated the First-Ever Neighborhood Community Scholarship: The Concert for College

At their annual Black History Month celebration, Reverend Mason and the Community Church of Astoria and Bishop Taylor and the Center of Hope International Church hosted the Concert for College to raise money for the students in their neighborhoods. It was a true community celebration with nearly 1,000 attendees. The Concert raised $20,000+ for ~1,000 NYC Scholarship Accounts across eight schools. Each child received $18.86. Check out this clip of the Concert featuring the Presidents of the Queensbridge, Woodside, and Ravenswood Houses Resident Associations.

Formed a Community of Practice with Launch of Community Based Organizations Collaborative

Thanks to support from Citi Community Development, Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement, Make the Road New York, Urban Upbound, Queens Community House, and Sunnyside Community Services are developing and implementing innovative projects that integrate the Save for College Program into their programming and services. They are sharing information and learning from each other to inform the future of the program.

Supported the First-Ever NYC Scholarship Week

Families across District 30 Activated their NYC Scholarship Accounts during the first-ever NYC Scholarship Week. In support of School District 30’s vision for every student to be ready to achieve post-secondary success, schools across the district celebrated the first-ever NYC Scholarship Week in April. Read more…

Launched Monthly Family & Community Dinners

These dinners are a space for families to break bread together, get to know one another, and participate in family-oriented games and activities. In June, we wrapped up the school year with a “When I Grow Up” quilt featuring students’ drawings of what they aspire to become. Take a look at the June dinner photos here and the other dinners here.


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Small steps to big college dreams

Find out how: 

[email protected]

833-KID-RISE (833-543-7473)

The NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program provides families, schools, and communities with a way to work together to save for their children’s futures. It’s a scholarship and savings program designed to make college and career training more accessible and achievable for all NYC public school students—regardless of their family’s income or immigration status. The Save for College Program is a tool that families, along with their schools and neighbors, can use and customize in the way that best fits into their lives and best supports their dreams for their children. NYC Kids RISE, a nonprofit organization, manages the Save for College Program in partnership with the NYC Department of Education and the City of New York.

Founding support provided by the Gray Foundation.

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