ACT NOW
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world.
― Margaret Mead
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Communities In Schools remains laser-focused on helping students and their families to overcome obstacles that stand between children and a successful future. We know that:
- Children thrive when their basic needs are met
- Learning accelerates when students feel secure
- Student achievement rises when communities unite around their schools
And we know that when we come together as a community to serve and honor children, their lives- and ours- change for the better.
Contacting your elected U.S. representatives is an essential way to show your support. By reaching out, you can help us make a strong case for budget resources and policy decisions that support youth and families, the public schools, and the work of our partner youth serving organizations. Even a single call can make a positive impact on the wellbeing and future of a child in need.
Help us make a difference. Call or email your U.S. representatives today and urge them to support and fund public education and programs that provide resources to youth and families.
Did You Know That Calling Is Best?
A call is far more effective than an email, faxed message, or letter / postcard because congressional staffers must tally phone calls right away, as they receive them. All other methods of contact take far more time to have an impact.
We know that making a call sometimes feels hard- but there is a user-friendly app for that! Visit https://5calls.org/ or download the Five Calls app. Five Calls provides an easy and effective way to make guided calls to your representatives and show your support for the issues you care about. Visit the 5 Calls Getting Started Guide to learn how easy and impactful it is to make a call.
Key points about CIS to include in your call:
Students in the schools CIS supports are much less likely to miss school, with schools gaining an average of 46 extra days of student attendance each year (Challenge Schools initiative, 2022)
Students working with CIS staff feel more connected to caring adults, have better friendships, and believe more strongly in the value of education (Randomized controlled trial, 2017)
Students working with CIS are much less likely to drop out, especially when support starts in middle school (Propensity score matching study, 2018)
Students with four years of CIS support earn $1,500 more annually by age 30 and will pay $9,000 more in lifetime taxes, far exceeding program costs (Economic impact study, 2023)
Students working with CIS staff feel more connected to caring adults, have better friendships, and believe more strongly in the value of education (Randomized controlled trial, 2017)
Test scores go up in CIS schools, largely because students are attending class more regularly (Texas elementary schools study, 2019)
High schools with CIS programs graduate many more students – about 55 more graduates per school than expected without the program (School-wide outcomes evaluation, 2015)
CIS is an exceptional return on investment. For every $1 invested, $11 is returned.
Impact of Federal Funding Changes on New Mexico’s Philanthropic Sector
As of April 16, 2025, President Trump has issued 129 Executive Orders (EOs) in his second term as President. While it is not unusual for presidents to release a flurry of EOs upon entry into office, this administration has more than doubled the next highest number of EOs in the first 100 days (topping President Harry S. Truman’s former record of 52 EOs). The chart below shows this administration’s pace as of February 19th (first 30 days). Looking more expansively at this volume, the prior Biden administration issued 162 EOs over the full four year term and Trump issued 220 in his first term.
Download Santa Fe Community Foundation’s new report with partners at the Thornburg Foundation and Anchorum Health Foundation: Impact of Federal Funding Changes on New Mexico’s Philanthropic Sector.