Every child has the ability to succeed. Yet, many kids face obstacles that interfere with their ability to come to school every day, ready to learn. More than 10 million children live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty and are two times more likely to face traumatic experiences. These students need extra support, but there is a gap between what students need and what schools in high-need communities have the capacity to provide.
That is why Comcast NBCUniversal has partnered with City Year, a national education nonprofit, for the past 17 years— to help ensure that students in high-need communities receive the support they need to stay on track to graduate from high school, equipped with the skills and mindsets essential for success in college, career, and life. In the schools where City Year serves, more than 86% of the students are economically disadvantaged.
Through shared values, we have built a trusted partnership with Comcast NBCUniversal that has helped us have transformational impact in the communities we serve.
Comcast NBCUniversal sponsors 12 school-based teams of City Year AmeriCorps members across the country. Each day, diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members (18 to 25 years old) serve full-time in schools as tutors, mentors, and role models to help students stay in school and on track to graduate. Together, we are reaching more than 7,500 students in high-need schools each day to help them succeed.
In addition to supporting direct impact in schools, Comcast NBCUniversal also provides professional development to City Year AmeriCorps members serving on Comcast NBCUniversal-sponsored teams. Just over half of City Year AmeriCorps members identify as people of color, 36% are the first in their family to graduate college and nearly 30% are serving in their home community. During annual Comcast Career Days across the country, hundreds of Comcast NBCUniversal employees provide leadership development, resume help, and career advice. Through our partnership, Comcast NBCUniversal has reached more than 14,000 City Year AmeriCorps members to help build the next generation of civic leaders.
