Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: Nia Cultural Center
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: 2217 The Strand
City: Galveston
State: Texas
Postal Code: 77550
Main Phone: 409.765.7086
Main Fax:
Organization Website: www.niacultural.org
Employer ID Number: 76-0375902
Organization Tax Status: 501 (c )(3)

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: January 16, 2024
Requested Amount: $10,000

Project Title: Freedom School
Project Description:

Since 2007, Nia has operated Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School, a 6-week summer literacy, parent involvement, and social action program for youth. The latest external evaluations revealed that the local Freedom School youth showed no “summer slide” in their attitude toward reading and improvements in their reading skills.
This out-of-school-time program provides culturally responsive enrichment through a research-based and multicultural model, reaching children in Galveston’s most underserved neighborhoods.
This program offers five essential components: 1) high-quality academic and character-building enrichment, 2) parent and family involvement, 3)civic engagement and social action, 4) intergenerational servant leadership development, and 5)and nutrition, health, and mental health services. Students receive two nutritious meals and a snack daily. ,
Student participants, ages 5 to 18, are referred to as Freedom School Scholars and their teachers are referred to as Servant Leader Interns who are college students or recent college graduates trained and committed to the tenets of the Freedom School model. The program is multi-cultural, but in 2023 as in prior years, more than two-thirds of the Scholars and Servant Leader Interns were Black. The full-day 5-days-a-week program is organized into classrooms with 10 Scholars per class in age bands from youngest to oldest referred to as Level 1, 2, 3, and 4. Art, dance, music, sports, museum visits, and other learning experiences fill the after school hours and are supported through partnerships with local agencies such as the Boys and Girls Club, Galveston ISD, Moody Gardens and community volunteers.
Nia’s funding is sufficient to accommodate 100 students though the need is much greater. We are reaching out to stellar organizations like the Charles and Joan Hermanowski Family Foundation to help us grow our program. All the students in our program live at or below the poverty level so philanthropic support is dire to our growth.

Total Project Budget: $231,662

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): The Moody

Project Duration: six consecutive weeks each summer during June and July
Geographical Area Served: Galveston County
Age Group To Be Served: 5-18 years

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms.
Contact First Name: Sue
Contact Last Name: Johnson
Contact Title: CEO
Contact Phone: 409.457.8955
Contact Email: suejohnson@niacultural.org