The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program provides comprehensive, culturally-relevant summer and after-school enrichment to children in high-poverty areas. The program helps children fall in love with reading, increases their self-esteem, generates more positive attitudes toward learning and connects their families with needed resources in the community. The CDF Freedom Schools program is proven to curb summer learning loss and help close the opportunity gap. Rooted in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Movement with a transformative vision of education for all children, the program is a key part of our work to level the playing field for all children. Since 1995, more than 137,000 pre-K-12 children have had a CDF Freedom Schools experience and more than 16,000 college students and young adult staff have been trained to deliver this empowering model.
The CDF Freedom Schools program is now accepting applications for our 2018 sponsors. Please complete this printable application or apply online.
In partnership with the Minneapolis Public Schools Community Education, OIC, and the Division of Indian Work, Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota leads the nation’s first American Indian-focused CDF Freedom Schools program. During the summer of 2017, the program served scholars at Sanford Middle School.
This summer, our programs will serve over 1,600 children in Minnesota. 160 college-age Servant Leader Interns will work in the Freedom Schools.
p: (651) 855-1174
e: nhernandez@childrensdefense.org
Contact A Minnesota CDF Freedom Schools® Site:
Academia Cesar Chavez, 1801 Lacrosse Ave, St Paul, MN 55119:
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Rudy Avina at ravina@cesarchavezschool.com or (651) 778-2940
CDF-MN American Indian Freedom School, 2309 S 28th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Alex Endeshaw or Riva Rivera at alex.endeshaw@mpls.k12.mn.us or enricarivera@gmail.com.
Friendship Academy of the Arts, 2600 E 38th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406:
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Leavon Fields at lfields@friendshipacademy.org or (651) 278-1887
Minneapolis Park and Rec Folwell Park, 1615 Dowling Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55412:
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Diana Little at dlittle@sojournertruthacademy.org
North Community YMCA Youth & Teen Enrichment Center, 1711 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55411
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact William Baker at (651) 274-8944
Osseo Area Schools Birch Grove, 4690 Brookdale Dr N, Brooklyn Park, MN:
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Sherron Taylor at taylorsherron@district279.org
Note: Scholars must be an Osseo Area Schools student.
Osseo Area Schools Garden City, 3501 65th Ave, Brooklyn Center, MN 55429:
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Sherron Taylor at taylorsherron@district279.org
Note: Scholars must be an Osseo Area Schools student.
Osseo Area Schools Osseo Senior High, 317 2nd Ave NW, Osseo, MN 55369
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Jaquinetta Mitchell or Royce Winford at mitchellj@district279.org or winfordr@district279.org.
Park Avenue Youth and Family Services/Park Ave UMC, 3400 Park Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Michelle Higgins at michellehiggins@payfs.org or (612) 825-6863
St. Paul Public Schools Capitol Hill/Rondo, 560 Concordia Ave, St. Paul, MN 55103
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Dr. Darcel Hill at Darcel.hill@spps.org or (651) 428-1322
St. Paul Public Schools Hazel Park, 1140 White Bear Ave, St. Paul, MN 55106
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Dr. Darcel Hill at Darcel.hill@spps.org or (651) 428-1322
Sojourner Truth Academy, 3820 Emerson Ave North, Minneapolis, MN 55412
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Viri Gallegos at vmenchaca@sojournertruthacademy.org or (612) 800-3166
SMM/Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center @ St. Paul City School, 260 Edmund Ave, St. Paul, MN 55103
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Emmanuel Donaby at edonaby@smm.org or (612) 385-4111
ISD 622 @ Webster Elementary School, 2170 E 7th Ave, North St. Paul, MN, 55109
For scholar enrollment and interested Servant Leader Interns contact Mona Perkins at mperkins@isd622.org or (651) 748-7110