LEAD Public Schools

LEAD announces Fund for Recovery Initiatives

LEAD Public Schools is Nashville’s largest, homegrown charter network of both open-enrolled and zone-enrolled schools.  Our six schools serve over 3,000 students, from 5th through 12th grades, most of whom are among the most vulnerable populations in our city:

• 13% are students with disabilities
• 20% are English Language Learners
• 82% are Black, Hispanic and Native American
• 90% are on free and reduced lunch or qualify for the program
• A third of our students have limited or no access to online information through mobile devices or computers outside of school
• A significant number live in transient housing or are homeless

The LEAD Fund for Recovery Initiatives was established in the hours following the Nashville tornado outbreak of March 2-3, 2020.  Among our population of students and families are those that reside in or near the North Nashville community that experienced significant tornado damage, days without power or access to basic resources, and loss of wages and jobs.  The existing food and resource insecurity students and families across our network face daily were further exacerbated by the effects of the tornado. Within days, Nashville would also come to experience the unprecedented impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a worldwide pandemic.  

The fund will help LEAD​ ​address ​the ongoing and emerging needs of our students​ and families​ for support and essential resources, and restore and protect stability when possible, through network access to Financial Support, Personal Well-Being Resources and Academic Assistance.

• Financial Support: LEAD will extend resources to families that can be used to satisfy the need for:
• • Housing
  • Food
  • Utilities
  • Clothing
  • Transportation 
  • Medicine

• Personal Well-Being Resources: we will refer our families to community-based resources and establish LEAD Serve Others Stations to make available: 
• • Non-perishable food items
  • Cleaners and disinfectants
  • Water
  • Paper products
  • Health and beauty items
  • Baby supplies

• Academic Assistance: we will reinforce LEAD’s educational mission to prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for college and ready for life by supporting: 
• • College Acceptance and Career Readiness
    • College Enrollment Fees and Housing Deposits (Seniors)
    • ACT Registration and Fees (Juniors)
  • Interval Learning 
    • Remote and out-of-school materials and supplies 
    • Technology (hardware and software)
    • Internet access
    • School library resources and technology
  • Social and Emotional Learning and Counseling

How you can support Nashville students and families: Your contribution to the Fund for Recovery Initiatives will help our students continue to achieve and sustain academic, social and emotional gains, and preserve crucial pathways to college and career choices.  Together, we can diminish the obstacles to equity in recovery that plague the Nashville communities our schools serve.  

Click on GIVE NOW to support the LEAD Fund for Recovery Initiatives or Text LEAD to 91999.  Mail contributions should be made payable to LEAD Public Schools and sent to:

LEAD Public Schools

Development Office

2835 Brick Church Pike

Nashville, Tennessee 37207

For more information on other ways to give, contact Eloise Alexis, Vice President of Development, at eloise.alexis@leadpublicschools or 615.209.1218.