Boulder County’s I Have A Dream Foundation’s moto is helping dreamers become achievers one child at a time. 
This foundation’s mission is to motivate and empower children (aka Dreamers) from low-income communities to reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term intervention program of mentoring, tutoring and cultural enrichment. The long-term program begins in the first grade and assistance continues until the Dreamer completes high school. Upon graduation, each Dreamer is eligible to receive a four-year tuition assistance scholarship for college or vocational school. This long term intervention has yielded amazing results and wonderful success stories.
I have had the pleasure to be a fellow on their Board of Directors, as part of my MBA education. It is an amazing non-profit achieving generational change in the families of those that participate. Lori Canova, the President and CEO, has been with I Have A Dream Boulder for nearly 20 years. It is inspiring to see the work and passion she has to grow this foundation organically and adding a new Dreamer class when funds are available.
Community success is created by all the cooperation from groups ranging from AmeriCorps Volunteers to Boulder County Schools to Boulder Housing Partners, which have all partnered with I Have A Dream Boulder. Ninety-two percent of the Dreamers in the seven previous Dreamer classes have graduated from high school, much higher than their peers. Of these Dreamer graduates, 85 percent have continued on to some level of post-secondary schooling. Many of them are now graduating from college or vocational school. Currently, I Have A Dream is serving 532 Dreamers with 325 volunteer mentors and tutors, 22 AmeriCorps members and have a eight program directors (one for each of the current Dreamer classes). The program directors are assigned to the Dreamers in the first grade and stay with that class as they move through their education until graduation from high school.
An amazing organization that has achieved tremendous community success! If you have time, consider volunteering or donating today.
Follow her on Twitter @AndiSuePhillips and join The Inclusiveness Leaders Linked In Group. For more information visit her website at AndiSuePhillips.com.
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