RUSSELL LIFE SKILLS AND READING FOUNDATION INC

Mission

Mission Statement: Inspiring and equipping underserved children and their families with the tools for continued success

There is hope for children who are struggling academically in underserved neighborhoods and that hope is YOU!

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

Since 1998, the Russell Education Foundation's after school program has impacted the lives of over 20,000 low income students from Broward and Miami-Dade counties. These students have been consistently promoted and demonstrated proficiency on Florida State Assessments. The foundation's after school programs exponentially improve students' chances of graduating from high school, attending college and achieving meaningful employment.

The Russell Education Foundation's after school program supplements the standard school time for approximately 1,000 low income kindergartens through fifth grade students annually with state certified teachers to close the achievement gap over time in Title I Schools. The objective for each student is to make fundamental gains in reading, math and science throughout the school year and over the summer.

In addition to providing academic services, REF provides mentoring sessions that teach students life skills. Topics such as personal safety, financial literacy for kids, community service and cultural arts are integrated into guest talks. Community business professionals, local politicians and pro athletes volunteer visit the centers and share personal experiences of their education journey and how they overcame certain obstacles to achieve success.

Every child deserves an excellent education and the support they need to succeed in school.