Charity of the week: City Year

Nearly a million American high school students drop out of school every year. City Year (cityyear.org) is working to reduce that number by placing young people committed to community service in schools around the country to act as tutors, mentors, and role models for at-risk students. City Year’s 2,000 corps members serve full-time for 10 months in schools in 21 U.S. cities, providing one-on-one academic support, after-school activities, and help aimed at improving student attendance. In exchange for their year of service, City Year’s young leaders receive a small stipend, health insurance, and college tuition assistance. Last year, 90 percent of students tutored by City Year improved their literacy scores, and the number of students with poor attendance was cut in half.

Each charity we feature has earned a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator, which ranks not-for profit organizations on the strength of their finances, their control of administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the transparency of their operations. Four stars is the group’s highest ranking.

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