LNR club members who have helped shop for LISD food banks posed with staff members from CISNT, including Director of Grant Development Katie Clifford (front row in floral dress) and CEO Ann Wilson (second from right), who is also a Rotarian. Click on photo to open larger image.
 
Katie Clifford has always been passionate about serving youth. She found her niche during her senior year at Texas Women's University in 2017, when she landed an internship with Communities in Schools North Texas (CISNT). “I fell in love with the organization and hoped they would hire me after graduation,” Clifford said, during her presentation to the Lewisville Noon Rotary club last week. She got her wish, and currently works as the non-profit organization's Director of Grant Development, using her communication skills to write grant applications for the good of the local community.
 
CISNT operates in 53 schools across North Texas, including campuses within Lewisville ISD, to connect students in need with caring adults and community resources and help them overcome personal challenges and structural barriers. In North Texas, 45 percent of students are at risk of dropping out of school, and 52 percent are economically disadvantaged, Clifford explained. At Central Elementary in Lewisville, 80 percent of young learners are food insecure. CISNT puts site coordinators at schools across its partner school districts to provide all of these students with vital resources and support, setting them up for success in school and in life.
 
The non-profit served 6,150 Lewisville students directly last year, partnering with affiliates and organizations like the Lewisville Noon Rotary for many of the services it offers. The site coordinators are boots on the ground, said Clifford, and are responsible for coordinating volunteers and connecting students to the mentors, tutors, counselors, food support, and other resources they need. Among its many programs, CISNT oversees food pantries at six high school and middle school campuses in LISD, which were accessed nearly 8,300 times in 2020-2021 and served 1,970 students. Two more food pantries were added at Lewisville Elementary and Huffines Middle School for 2021-22, bringing the total number of those served to more than 8,000 students district-wide.
 
Ever dollar given to CISNT leads to $11.60 in economic benefit to the community, Clifford noted, as students have the support they need to succeed academically. The organization reports that 99 percent of 7th-12th graders stayed in school, 97 percent of case managed students were promoted, and 93 percent of eligible students graduated last school year. To learn about weekly and monthly volunteer opportunities with Communities in Schools North Texas, such as becoming an individual or group mentor or a reading buddy, visit CISNT.org/volunteer.