Helping your community can be a wonderful way to alleviate stress, achieve personal meaning, and create profound relationships. Furthermore, many important issues in the world today need our attention, so we should all be striving to make a tangible and immediate contribution. Community service can sometimes feel overwhelming, but remember that changing the world doesn’t have to be a global affair; it can start at home by assisting the people around you. Becoming involved with local nonprofits through partnerships, volunteer work, and donations can bring you personal growth and immense joy while making a real difference.
Are you passionate about equity, inclusivity, and education? If so, you can make a meaningful difference in your community by utilizing your unique abilities to support the tutoring nonprofit, Educate. Radiate. Elevate. Our impact on the lives of youth is enormous! Here are three fulfilling ways that you can become part of E.R.E.’s mission to minimize the disproportionate learning losses for low-income students of color and to provide economic, social, and emotional stability for the youth served, their families, and their community.
Partner
At E.R.E., we believe that every student deserves an equal chance to succeed academically. Sadly, underrepresented students face many major roadblocks to success. Our efforts are to uplift students to overcome those challenges and reach their goals.
However, supporting vulnerable students can be challenging without utilizing the power of the community. That’s why we strive to partner with other organizations that are also dedicated to uplifting low-income families of color. We have many opportunities for nonprofits, schools, and service providers to work alongside us in supporting communities in need. Through partnerships, we can share staff, materials, training seminars, professional networks, funding, or the like to strengthen the services and outcomes of all institutions involved. By becoming a partner of E.R.E., both organizations can provide services to help each other accomplish their mission.
E.R.E. is passionate about helping students thrive. Our core values are at the heart of everything we do: empathy, educational equity, cultural responsiveness, holistic approaches, and partnership. We know that by empathizing with our students, taking a comprehensive approach to teaching, and working in collaboration with others, we can truly make a difference in the lives of our students and their families. Currently, we’re proud to partner with companies like Enabling Value, Link-Ed, and AllState Foundation, as well as many others. You too can take this step towards helping your community and assist students in achieving their full potential!
Volunteer
Discover a world of opportunities for helping your community by joining us as a volunteer. American Heart Association says “Compared to non-volunteers, volunteers have less depression, less anxiety, higher self-esteem, higher life satisfaction, greater happiness and a greater sense of meaning in life.” In one study by the scientific journal The Gerontologist, scientists found that middle-aged volunteers were more likely to have better physical health than their non-volunteering peers. Not only does volunteering profoundly affect your community for the better, volunteering can improve your overall well-being!
Whether you seek experience as an intern or tutor, or you would like to use your expertise as a professional volunteer or committee member – E.R.E. is a great place to learn and grow.
Tutor
If you share our passion for supporting and inspiring students and believe you can use your teaching talent to help young learners succeed, you’re in luck. We provide all the necessary support, training, and structure so that you can make a real impact as a volunteer tutor. Our tutoring sessions are currently conducted online, offering flexible scheduling options. Additionally, as a volunteer tutor, you’ll have valuable opportunities to build your resume, participate in free professional development, and expand your network.
Intern
An internship can provide you with another priceless opportunity to make a meaningful contribution. At E.R.E., we offer internships spanning diverse fields such as research, outreach, marketing, and grant writing. By joining us, you’ll have the chance to develop valuable skills like research, data entry, communication, marketing, graphic design, social media management, and content creation. As an intern, you’ll improve your career prospects while also helping our students reach their own goals.
Professional Volunteer
Last but not least, consider working with us as a professional volunteer. If you have expertise in website development, SEO, marketing, public relations, law, accounting, fundraising, data collection & analysis, or the like, E.R.E. is a place for you to thrive. As a new nonprofit, we rely heavily on the generosity of professional volunteers to keep our systems efficient and improving. Your individual skills and expertise have the potential to make a meaningful difference in the world. Embrace the opportunity to bring positive change and transform lives like no one else can. Let your abilities shine and be a force for good!
Donate
The recent pandemic highlighted the ongoing inequities that have existed in America for decades, with low-income people of color among the hardest hit. These issues will persist unless organizations like ours work to bridge the gap. Our nonprofit allows individuals and organizations to donate tax-deductible funds to sponsor students who have been nominated based on their dedication, achievement, and desire to learn.
A full term of tutoring for a single student costs approximately $1,000. It is pricey to provide high-quality education support – but the outcomes prove it is worth the investment! Giving children tools to succeed in school and life bridges education gaps and stops cycles of poverty, thereby uplifting underserved communities and society as a whole. An annual contribution of $25/month covers the cost to train four tutors who will support the diverse needs of our students, whereas $100/month over a year covers one term of 1-on-1 online tutoring for one student plus their wifi. Every dollar donated helps reduce the achievement gap plaguing our nation.
Donations in any amount can make a significant impact and can be an excellent method for helping your community if you are unable to contribute in other ways. In addition, your workplace may have a gift-matching program with us. If you donate to E.R.E. through this program, the impact of your donation can be doubled!
Donations go to supporting our tutoring programs, during which our high-quality tutors focus on assisting their students with academics, enrichment, and test prep. The lessons are also designed to teach essential “soft skills” critical for success in all areas of life. These learning and life skills include planning and prioritizing, time management, focus, creative problem-solving, curiosity, innovation, advocacy, and emotional intelligence. Our goal is to empower youth with the tools to succeed in school and beyond.
Conclusion
Helping your community is not merely an act of selfless service but can be a transformative experience that enriches both the individuals involved and the communities they serve. This act of generosity fosters a sense of togetherness, reminding us that we are all connected and that our actions can ripple outward, creating a wave of kindness and generosity. You have the ability to make a difference! Join E.R.E. today!
