John,

The CDF Freedom Schools® program means so much to so many. At its heart, it’s a literacy and enrichment program that emboldens children with a love of learning and empowers them to know they can excel and make a difference in themselves and the world. But this year, as we kick off another CDF Freedom Schools summer, I know that the CDF Freedom Schools program is also a movement, a family, and a celebration of our country’s youth.

I have been deeply involved with the CDF Freedom Schools program for my entire adult life because I know that it works. The summer and after-school program is designed to serve children in communities where quality academic enrichment is limited, too expensive, or non-existent, so we fill an important need—especially in a year when children are going into the summer with so much unfinished learning. The children we serve largely come from families with low incomes and are predominantly Black, Latinx, and Indigenous. We introduce them to culturally diverse books that reflect their own experiences and show them that they are the image of success.

We know that our children are able to thrive academically when they feel well supported, cared for, and engaged. Our CDF Freedom Schools sites are also safe spaces for children and youth to explore fundamental issues related to their own self-esteem and to expand their capacity to believe they can make their dreams a reality. Children have lost a lot during this pandemic—from learning experiences to friendships and even loved ones—so we know that giving children and youth that space is more important now than ever.

And this year, thanks to support from the Boeing Company, we’re also piloting our new CDF Freedom Schools Freedom to STEM initiative, which will introduce children to the wide world of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers available to them and help to build a diverse pipeline for the country’s future STEM leaders. We’re always looking for ways to broaden children’s horizons, so I can’t wait to show them how far a career in STEM could (literally!) take them.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll hear a lot from my team, our fantastic CDF Freedom Schools sponsor organizations, and some of the many people impacted by our more than 25 years of service. I hope you’ll learn along with us this summer and consider supporting the program that is near and dear to us all.

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