City Year Member Kelly Romero and her son pose at her graduation from American University
Earlier this year, The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund announced $25.8 million in multiyear investments in five transformative projects focused on collaborative approaches to increasing economic mobility and wealth building. We are excited to share with you a special feature on one of these projects - LIFT As We Climb - a partnership between City Year DC and LIFT DC to provide a robust set of services and supports to create an opportunity pathway for local parents and caregivers participating in AmeriCorps.
Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes they wear red jackets – at least that’s what Kelly Romero feels sometimes, as she sports her ‘City Year’ jacket through the halls of Kelly Miller MS in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of NE DC.
“Everyday I come to school, I get to show up for people,” Romero shares. “I feel like the work that I do is really making a difference – especially for these kids that really need someone who believes in them.”
Romero is one of 140 City Year AmeriCorps members working to support the learning, social, and emotional growth of thousands of kids across DC’s public schools.
While City Year members’ experiences may differ from their peers serving abroad, their impact cannot be understated – especially in communities experiencing high poverty, where schools – and their students – are often underfunded and under resourced. Statistics have shown that City Year’s members have a significant impact on the academic, social, and emotional wellbeing of the students they work with.
“As City Year members, we can support students in a way that a lot of teachers can’t,” Romero shared. “We interact with students and help them create the kind of safe learning environment they need to thrive.”
But Romero is more than just a City Year Member. Romero is also a single mother to her 8-year-old son – an experience that she says has helped her a lot over the course of her experience with City Year DC.
“I became a mom when I was a junior in high school,” Romero recalled. “I was so blessed to have supportive parents and a great community program. They helped me give me the confidence and support I needed to graduate high school and pursue my dreams.” Romero received her Bachelor’s Degree from American University – the first member of her family to do so.
Empowered by her support system, Romero now goes above and beyond to provide that same support for others – starting with her son. While taking classes at American, Romero discovered that her son had a learning disability that impacted his experience at school. She decided to take it upon herself to learn more about how she could create a safe learning environment for him and advocate for his needs.
“Working with my son takes a lot of patience, sometimes,” Romero explained. “He doesn’t always know how to process his feelings – so I work with him to help him identify what he’s feeling and how we can work together to get him to where he needs to be.”
“It’s a big part of why I enjoy what I do as a City Year member,” Romero said. “There’s so many kids out there who don’t have the kind of support system that I have and that I get to provide for my son. Working with City Year, I get to be part of that system and help them grow.”
Supporting Parents & National Service
For Dr. Michael Stevens, Executive Director of City Year DC and Neils Ribeiro-Yemofio, Executive Director of LIFT-DC – individuals like Romero represent a tremendous opportunity – one that could transform the face of National Service organizations across DC and the country.
“There’s something special about an individual who chooses to serve their community --while balancing all the responsibilities that come with serving their child,” Dr. Stevens shared. “There’s nobody more patient than a parent; nobody who is better than working with kids than somebody who takes care of their own. These are individuals who really bring their whole heart – and even their future generations into the work that they do.”
“Some people look at a young parent and see them as a problem,” Ribeiro-Yemofio added. “We see them as the solution.”
Across the region and the nation, the number of individuals involved in volunteerism and national service – both formally and informally – has dropped dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many organizations – including City Year and AmeriCorps – are increasingly looking for innovative solutions to help recruit and retain volunteers – especially for communities of color.
According to the latest AmeriCorps member report, Black AmeriCorps members have the highest early exit/attrition rate (41 percent) compared to other volunteers. Of those who exit, nearly a third of them said they did so out of necessity to take care of family or seek better economic stability.
Dr. Michael Stevens (far left) early on in his career with City Year DC.
Ribeiro-Yemofio and Dr. Stevens have witnessed firsthand the impact that completing a term of national service can have on an individual’s life. As a young man growing up in Alexandria, Ribeiro-Yemofio joined City Year originally with the intention of quitting after just six months to pursue a career in advocacy. However, he quickly realized just how transformative his time at City Year could be. Ten years later, Ribeiro-Yemofio was still working with City Year – this time as an employee – reporting to his former team lead – Dr. Michael Stevens.
Neils Ribeiro-Yomofrio as a member of City Year DC
Now as the Executive Director of LIFT DC –a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by investing in parents – Ribeiro-Yemofio is excited to partner with Dr. Stevens to create LIFT as We Climb -- an innovative program funded by The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund that will support parents and caregivers in national service.
“A lot of City Year members who are parents are unable to finish their service because they don’t have the kind of support structure they need to succeed,” Ribeiro-Yemofio shared.
“LIFT DC not only has the expertise, but also the infrastructure to help members grow and thrive – during their service and beyond.”
LIFT as We Climb – A Bridge to Opportunity
As part of LIFT as We Climb, City Year Members like Romero will be paired with a LIFT-DC coach who will work with parents to identify and achieve their personal and financial goals. Each member will have access to financial literacy workshops, unrestricted $150 cash payments every three months for the duration of the program, and a $500 cash payment to help their transition after completing their service.
“At LIFT, we have an excellent track record of helping our parents reach economic mobility,” Ribeiro-Yemofio added. “Some have increased their annual household income by an average of $35,664 over the course of their time with us.”
LIFT as We Climb is designed as a two-year program – ensuring that even if parents decide not to pursue careers in national service after completing their year of service, they are still able to receive coaching and support as they transition. Throughout the program, members will have access to group sessions, workshops, and events with other parents to help them continue to grow and expand their networks.
“I would love to see that young parents see City Year – or any type of service organization – as a viable career, or a launch pad into a career of social impact,” Dr. Stevens shared of his aspirations for the project. “Instead of young parents seeing all the reasons why they can’t or shouldn’t serve – we want them to see the benefits and the impact that they can have on future generations.”
Dr. Stevens and Ribeiro-Yemofio say they anticipate the project will not only help with retention rates for existing volunteers, but also recruitment for new volunteers, as well. They plan to use the projects outcomes to make the case for broader support at the national level at their respective organizations and to AmeriCorps. City Year DC and LIFT DC both belong to large, well-established national networks. LIFT as We Climb is the first project of its kind in either network to provide a support system for parents in national service.
“Martin Luther King once said ‘Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve,’” Ribeiro-Yemofio said. “That’s what we hope to do with LIFT as We Climb – provide a support structure so that everyone – including parents – have what they need to serve and become great!”
The Community Foundation is proud to support LIFT as We Climb and its work through the Health Equity Fund.
The Health Equity Fund was created to improve the health outcomes and health equity of DC residents. The fund is governed by a seven-member Health Equity Committee in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The seven-member committee includes Nnemdi Elias, MD, MPH; Dr. Tollie Elliott; Wendell L. Johns; Lori Kaplan; Juan M. Jara; Kimberly Harris; and Courtney R. Snowden.
For more information about the Health Equity Fund and available funding opportunities, please visit our website!
