TRM Says Thanks to DSVP

Trinity River Mission, TRM - also known as Tutor, Read, Mentor, has been a DSVP investee for two years.  Through after school academic programs, they prepare students for success in school and life.  In a neighborhood that graduates less than 50% of students from high school, TRM students have been graduating on time at higher than 98%.  Believe and Achieve is the program for middle and high school  students.  As part of that, they are Reading Buddies to the younger kids.  Marlenee and Melanie wrote us this letter.






DSVP Partners,
We are happy to hear that TRM has partnered with you.  Because of this partnership other students will have the opportunity to receive programming resources like Melanie and I.  I have been a Reading Buddy for over two years, and even though i have only been with Melanie for  one year, she has turned into a big part of my life.  We both look forward to seeing each other on Wednesday and enjoy reading together.  Knowing that someone looks up to me makes me feel good and encourages me to take better decisions.  Seeing Melanie read on her own also motivates me to continue this partnership.  As a new Believe and Achieve student, i am glad to have a place that offers many programs for all grade levels.  Your partnership with TRM is an investment for my future and Melanie's.
Sincerely,
Marlenee - 11th grade
Melanie - kindergarden

DSVP Tours New Investees

DSVP Partner, C. Albert Tatum, III, reflects on recent tour:

Thank you for guiding us through Trinity River Mission and Vickery Meadows Learning Center. Reading about our Investees and having them come to First Fridays imparts some feeling as to what they are all about, but nothing can come close to seeing them in action.

Almost all of us became DSVP Partners because of our interest in engaged philanthropy. But then, with limited time, it's difficult to truly engage with very many Investees. DSVP tours bridge that gap by delivering maximum exposure in a very efficient time frame. I love 'em.

2010 Investment Committee home stretch with four finalists!

DSVP Partner teams are working with four Investment Committee finalists – Jubilee Community Center, Real School Gardens, Trinity River Mission and Vickery Meadow Learning Center – on Engagement Strategies and Final Presentations. The Investee Selection meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 30th from 4-8pm (RSVP here) and is open to the entire DSVP Partnership! Read below to learn a little more about our finalists...

Jubilee Community Center serves 1,027 children and 173 adults daily through programming at OM Roberts Elementary School, Davids’ Place Head Start, an afterschool program, and at ESL, literacy, and computer classes. The mission of Jubilee is to be a catalyst for community renewal and enrichment to the South Dallas/Fair Park neighborhood, with special emphasis on comprehensive, community revitalization and the education of children and adults.
www.jubileecenter.org
Lead Partner: Rod Armstrong

Real School Gardens is a grassroots gardening program that serves children 41,000 children annually in low income, urban neighborhoods by partnering with elementary school communities to design, install, and use outdoor classrooms (gardens) to improve academic achievement and promote healthy development. The mission of Real School Gardens is to cultivate relationships with elementary schools to create learning gardens that raise hope, spark imaginations, and connect children to nature.
www.realschoolgardens.org
Lead Partner: Robin Minick

Trinity River Mission is a volunteer-based community learning center that serves 450 children per year. Trinity River Mission promotes literacy, encourages academic success and develops effective life skills among disadvantaged youth in West Dallas, in the belief that education connects us to life’s possibilities.
www.trinityrivermission.org
Lead Partner: Jim Pasant

Vickery Meadow Learning Center is dedicated to improving English literacy levels among non-English speaking adults and children by providing programs in communication and life skills. Vickery Meadow serves 725 adults and 200 children annually and does so in the belief that the ability to understand, read, write and speak English contributes to independence, productivity and the overall well-being of our students, their families and the greater community.
http://www.vmlc.org/

Lead Partner: Elaine Bernstein

Once again all DSVP Partners are welcome to attend this event. Please let us know if you will be able to attend. We look forward to seeing everyone and choosing who the next Investee will be!