Orange County

Central Florida organization donates $100K to help students gain skills, confidence

By Brittany Caldwell, WFTV.com
By Brittany Caldwell, WFTV.com

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — With the school season well underway, City Year Orlando received $100,000 from Heart of Florida United Way to support local students, the organization announced Wednesday.

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This long-time partnership has helped students in need to learn important skills and gain confidence in themselves.

City Year will invest in learning that will help bridge social and economic gaps exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Along with a team of AmeriCorps members, they will mentor students in select Orange County public schools and assist them in building successful paths.

“We believe in City Year’s mission of fostering equitable access to education, and education is one of our four primary focus areas,” said Jeff Hayward, president and CEO of Heart of Florida United Way. “City Year is an organization committed to serving the students who need the most support right here in Central Florida.”

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City Year Orlando said the issue for many families in underrepresented communities is having access to certain resources, which has contributed to a loss in learning.

“When we think about a school in a school system and school structures, the gaps that often exist aren’t necessarily about the curriculum,” said Jarred Billings, executive director of City Year Orlando. “It’s about that relationship piece that we can add.”

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UCF’s Countdown to Kickoff returns, helps student-athletes The event helped raise thousands of dollars for student-athletes. (WFTV/WFTV)

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