Communities In Schools Launches $250,000 Rapid Relief & Resilience Fund to Support Students and Families Amid Economic Uncertainty
CIS National invites eligible affiliates and licensed partners to apply for up to $5,000 in immediate relief funding through January 31, 2026
CONTACT: Whitney Faison, [email protected], 315-420-6049
Communities In Schools® (CIS®), the nation’s leading provider of K-12 school-based integrated student supports (ISS), announced the creation of the Rapid Relief & Resilience Fund, a $250,000 emergency fund designed to accelerate short-term relief for CIS students, families, alumni, and staff as the federal shutdown impacts families during the holiday season and beyond. The fund will provide rapid, upfront support to CIS affiliates and licensed partners working directly with students in crisis.
As the federal shutdown continues to disrupt safety nets like SNAP and paychecks, Communities In Schools is stepping up to meet urgent needs in classrooms and communities nationwide. When hunger and financial strain threaten a student’s ability to learn, CIS mobilizes immediate supports to ensure no child goes hungry or goes without essential resources.
Right now, too many students are walking into classrooms unsure of what the next day will bring. The ongoing federal shutdown isn’t just disrupting SNAP benefits—it’s pausing paychecks. Families are suddenly facing impossible choices: pay rent or buy groceries, fill the tank to get to work and school or fill the fridge. For many of the students we serve, SNAP is the safety net that keeps hunger at bay. When that net frays, CIS steps in.
-Rey Saldaña, President and CEO, Communities In Schools National Office
The fund distributed $250,000 through $5,000 grants to 50 CIS Network Organizations, including six licensed partners and 44 affiliates. Prioritizing smaller organizations with average budgets under $2 million and focusing on rural communities, the initiative reached:
- 25,286 students
- 13,855 family units
- 606 schools
- 2,786 other community members, including school-based staff
Across the CIS Network, site coordinators responded in real time, stocking food pantries, connecting families with emergency resources, and making sure students have the nourishment they need to stay focused, supported, and ready to learn.
Read more about how the CIS Network supported students and families in our blog.
About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is a national organization that ensures every student has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside more than 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building a path to education for future generations. Follow us for news @communitiesinschools on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, @cisnational on X (formerly Twitter) or with the hashtag #BeingPresentMatters.
