Press Releases | November 20, 2020

The Mind Trust announces $207,000 investment in 22 Community Learning Sites to provide Indianapolis families with no-cost eLearning support and supervision through school building closure dates

INDIANAPOLIS — (November 20, 2020) — The Mind Trust today announced it will invest $207,000 to fund the operation of 22 Community Learning Sites that will be open from November 30, 2020, through January 15, 2021, and be available for more than 800 children in grades K-12. An initiative of The Mind Trust that began in August 2020, Community Learning Sites are hubs where small groups of students are provided weekday eLearning supervision and support at no cost to families through partnerships with Indianapolis churches and community centers. 

“The Mind Trust is proud to work with our incredible community partners to support Indianapolis students and families as they face continued challenges as a result of the pandemic,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust. “Community Learning Sites are our collective response to ensure as many students as possible have access to a safe, productive learning environment without putting financial strain on their families. We are grateful for those who have contributed to keep these sites free to families, and we ask for continued support to sustain this effort for our city’s students.”

“We are proud to join The Mind Trust today as they expand the number of Community Learning Sites to accommodate increased need,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “I encourage anyone who knows a student who lacks the connectivity or the daytime supervision that remote-learning requires to take advantage of a Community Learning Site near you. And to those with the means to further support this effort, please consider donating to extend this program for as long as possible.” 

Community Learning Site locations: 

  • Anna Brochhausen School 88, operated by Edna Martin Christian Center
  • Brookside Community Development Corporation
  • Brookside School 54, operated by John H. Boner Community Center 
  • Christamore House
  • Cornerstone Lutheran Church, operated by Shepherd Community Center
  • Crossroads AME Church
  • Eclectic Soul VOICES Corporation
  • Edna Martin Christian Center
  • Finish Line Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis 
  • Hawthorne Community Center
  • Keenan-Stahl Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis 
  • Kids Inc, operated by Shepherd Community Center
  • LeGore Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis
  • Lilly Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis
  • New Direction Church 
  • Nikki Blaine Learning Center at Chaney Microlearning Center
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58, operated by Shepherd Community Center 
  • The Reset Center
  • Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, operated by John H. Boner Community Center
  • Westside Missionary Baptist Church
  • Wheeler-Dowe Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis
  • Witherspoon Presbyterian Church

“Indianapolis Public Schools is grateful to The Mind Trust and partners in the community for their continued support of our most vulnerable families as they balance the need to work and the desire to ensure their children have access to the best learning opportunities during this return to remote learning,” said Aleesia Johnson, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) superintendent. “This is an important part of educational equity as we make key decisions in the best interest of the health and safety of all of our students and staff.”  

“The Mind Trust is proud to join our community partners in stepping up to stand in the gap for Indianapolis families who need this support the most,” said Shannon Williams, Senior Vice President of Community Engagement at The Mind Trust. “Families have shared how impactful Community Learning Sites have been to them over the past few months, and we are grateful to be able to expand their reach.”

Community Learning Site hours vary by location. Sites may be closed during winter break. Families do not need to pay any fees to participate, but do need to register with the site that works best for them to ensure sites can follow social distancing guidelines. Breakfast and lunch will be served daily at all sites, made possible through a partnership with Second Helpings. Interested families can go to CommunityLearningSites.org to find current locations, dates of operation, hours, and information on how to register.

Community Learning Site partners were selected based on an organization’s interest in participation, capacity to quickly implement programming, location in high-need areas, and available funding. Selected partners will focus their efforts on serving students who attend schools of all types within IPS district boundaries, though participation is not limited to only these students. 

To date, The Mind Trust has invested more than $485,000 into Community Learning Sites. While additional organizations have stepped up to offer to become a site, funding is limited. The Mind Trust is ready to work with partners as more funding becomes available, but is asking the community to consider supporting this effort financially to increase access to eLearning and childcare support for Indianapolis families. To donate, visit themindtrust.org/donate or contact Stacy Helmuth, Director of Development, at shelmuth@themindtrust.org. 

Since August, The Mind Trust has placed 21 eLearning Facilitators at Community Learning Sites. To continue supporting site partners with staffing, The Mind Trust is seeking community members interested in serving as eLearning Facilitators. Facilitators will be matched with a community organization to work with small groups of students as they engage in virtual learning curriculum delivered by each student’s school. Facilitators will receive compensation of at least $15 per hour through their assigned organization. Interested applicants can visit CommunityLearningSites.org/facilitators to learn more. 

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About The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student in Indianapolis, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of 37 schools, 13 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place more than 1,500 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis classrooms. More information can be found at themindtrust.org.

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