Headquarters: Little Rock
Year founded: 2004
Senior vice president;
Executive Director:
Jennifer Cobb
About City Year Little Rock:
City Year Little Rock was founded in 2004 by a coalition of passionate community and civic leaders. The group’s “double bottom line” equips K-8 students with the academic and durable skills needed to thrive in school and in life while providing young adults with professional development and training as AmeriCorps members. Through this work, City Year is building the next generation of leaders in Arkansas and setting up members for future workforce success.
City Year’s unique, holistic approach offers a proven return on investment and delivers stronger outcomes for students, the community and the economy. Schools that partner with City Year are up to two times more likely to improve their English assessments and three times more likely to improve proficiency rates in math.
Over the past two decades, the nonprofit has served 19 schools and celebrated the graduation of 900 AmeriCorps members. Those young adults have dedicated nearly 1 million hours and counting to service, leading to improved attendance, behavior and course grades for countless students.
Giving Opportunities:
Answer the Call: City Year encourages young adults 17 to 25 to apply to serve as an AmeriCorps member. Student success coaches not only make a difference in the lives of children; they also gain on-the-ground experience and training, including 300-plus hours of career guidance, skill building and leadership development.
Get Involved:
City Year welcomes friends and partners to support its mission year-round, whether by attending a City Year Auxiliary event or setting up a recurring monthly donation at cityyear.org.
Events:
There are regular opportunities to join City Year in giving back, including projects at partner schools every January for Martin Luther King Jr.’s national day of service. In April, instead of the Red Jacket Luncheon, City Year will host a blowout community block party in honor of its 20th anniversary.
Mission statement:
Serving students in historically under-resourced schools to help keep them on track to graduation and developing AmeriCorps members into capable, skilled leaders who can work across lines of difference.
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