$50K Matching Grant for Low-Income Kids & Schools!
Debate it Forward (DiF) is excited to announce that an anonymous donor has created a $50,000 matching grant to support low-income communities - this summer and beyond. For every dollar you donate between now and August 30, 2021, you’ll make twice the impact with kids and schools that need your support!!
Where Will Your Donation Go?
-- Summer Camps for Low-Income Kids - many of our families use our “Pay What You Can” pricing model to send their kids to our In-Person or Virtual Summer Camps. Coupled with the match, your funds will make up the difference and send kids to camp.
-- DiF’s Fall Programs for Low-Income Schools - your matched donation will also be used to support those schools that don’t have the funding to make DiF available during or after the school day.
How Your Donation Makes a DiF-ference (and doubles with the $50K Match)
$180 covers the cost of one student to attend summer camp (Two kids with the match!)
$500 supports an entire classroom at a school for one semester (Two classes!)
$2,500 covers 15 students for an entire summer camp session (30 kids!)
$5,000 funds all programming at a school for an entire year (Two schools!)
About Debate it Forward
Debate it Forward (DiF), a 501c3 non-profit, uses debate-based activities to build confidence, critical thinking, and empathy. DiF believes that every young person deserves the skills to confidently speak up and engage in civil discourse and has a special focus on students who typically lack access to civic engagement opportunities: students of low-income, students with learning differences, and young students (starting as early as 4 years old). T
When Covid-19 hit, DiF had to shut down all school-based programming. At the time, Debate it Forward was running programs in 20 schools throughout the city and taught over 400 students weekly. In March 2020, DiF began running all programming remotely. Over the past year, Debate it Forward served over 700 students through virtual programming – giving these students an outlet for creativity, development, and socializing that so many lacked. Here’s what one parent said about it:
"I know that the skills and principles that the girls have learned at DIF are critical to their success professionally and as well-rounded human beings. As young women in this society, they will have to negotiate their way and confidently speak their truth …I know this -- DIF is a significant stepping stone in their future progress. It has laid the foundation for whatever they decide to achieve in the world from here.”
Debate it Forward will be able to resume critical programming if we achieve the matching goal. As the country begins to return to pre-pandemic life, Debate it Forward is excitedly planning to host over 200 students at in-person summer camps, using a purely “pay what you can” plan to ensure all children can participate. Hitting the match goal will not only allow many students to realize full or partial scholarships this summer, but also be put to good use and enable DiF to partner with at least 10 schools for free when school resumes in the Fall.
These are just a few example benchmarks but any amount is helpful. We are extremely grateful for your time and consideration. On behalf of our students, the entire Debate it Forward community thanks you for helping us ensure we can serve the students who most need support.
Where Will Your Donation Go?
-- Summer Camps for Low-Income Kids - many of our families use our “Pay What You Can” pricing model to send their kids to our In-Person or Virtual Summer Camps. Coupled with the match, your funds will make up the difference and send kids to camp.
-- DiF’s Fall Programs for Low-Income Schools - your matched donation will also be used to support those schools that don’t have the funding to make DiF available during or after the school day.
How Your Donation Makes a DiF-ference (and doubles with the $50K Match)
$180 covers the cost of one student to attend summer camp (Two kids with the match!)
$500 supports an entire classroom at a school for one semester (Two classes!)
$2,500 covers 15 students for an entire summer camp session (30 kids!)
$5,000 funds all programming at a school for an entire year (Two schools!)
About Debate it Forward
Debate it Forward (DiF), a 501c3 non-profit, uses debate-based activities to build confidence, critical thinking, and empathy. DiF believes that every young person deserves the skills to confidently speak up and engage in civil discourse and has a special focus on students who typically lack access to civic engagement opportunities: students of low-income, students with learning differences, and young students (starting as early as 4 years old). T
When Covid-19 hit, DiF had to shut down all school-based programming. At the time, Debate it Forward was running programs in 20 schools throughout the city and taught over 400 students weekly. In March 2020, DiF began running all programming remotely. Over the past year, Debate it Forward served over 700 students through virtual programming – giving these students an outlet for creativity, development, and socializing that so many lacked. Here’s what one parent said about it:
"I know that the skills and principles that the girls have learned at DIF are critical to their success professionally and as well-rounded human beings. As young women in this society, they will have to negotiate their way and confidently speak their truth …I know this -- DIF is a significant stepping stone in their future progress. It has laid the foundation for whatever they decide to achieve in the world from here.”
Debate it Forward will be able to resume critical programming if we achieve the matching goal. As the country begins to return to pre-pandemic life, Debate it Forward is excitedly planning to host over 200 students at in-person summer camps, using a purely “pay what you can” plan to ensure all children can participate. Hitting the match goal will not only allow many students to realize full or partial scholarships this summer, but also be put to good use and enable DiF to partner with at least 10 schools for free when school resumes in the Fall.
These are just a few example benchmarks but any amount is helpful. We are extremely grateful for your time and consideration. On behalf of our students, the entire Debate it Forward community thanks you for helping us ensure we can serve the students who most need support.
Organizer
Josh Aaronson
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Debate it Forward
Beneficiary