Gift brings the Pennington Foundation’s total contribution to more than $700,000 over the past decade
Communities In Schools of Nevada (CIS) has received a $150,000 donation from The William N. Pennington Foundation for the CIS northern Nevada affiliates. The donation brings the Pennington Foundation’s total CIS investment for northern Nevada to more than $700,000 since 2013.
The $150,000 donation will support the expansion of CIS’ Integrated Student Supports, the nonprofit’s evidence-based holistic approach to promoting academic success and the model on which CIS was built and founded 45 years ago. This gift benefits the more than 5,000 K-12 students who attend schools in Washoe, Elko and Humboldt counties.
“The William N Pennington Foundation has been a wonderful and longtime partner in our fight to prevent students from dropping out of schools and our vision to expand in our rural communities,” said Tami Hance-Lehr, CEO and state director, Communities In Schools of Nevada. “Partners like the Pennington Foundation allow us to continue changing the lives of our students by providing them mentorship, resources and services that remove the barriers preventing them from focusing on learning. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Pennington Foundation for their continued support of our mission to do whatever it takes to keep kids in school.”
Since 2013, the Pennington Foundation has been a key partner in the development of our Washoe, Elko, and Humboldt programs. The Pennington Foundation’s ongoing support has helped CIS of Nevada grow from 8 schools to 24 schools in our Northern Nevada Services Area. This includes growth in the Washoe and Elko County School Districts and expansion into the Humboldt County School District, furthering CIS’ reach into Nevada’s rural communities. In addition to investing in our signature Integrated Student Supports Program, The Pennington Foundation has also made possible the opening of a Community Resource Room in Winnemucca, accessible to the entire community. In 2020, they provided $27,000 toward the purchase and delivery of emergency food to students and families in Washoe, Humboldt, and Elko counties. This year, through a partnership with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, CIS of Northeastern Nevada will distribute 7,700-weekend food bags to students in need.
