Blog

Every month, America Forward is highlighting a few examples of the vital work being done by our Coalition members to support students, families, educators, workers, elected leaders, advocates, and communities across the country. If your organization has resources, an announcement, or a story that you would like to see included, please send it to america_forward@newprofit.org.

Tech Goes Home

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Tech Goes Home has worked to ensure that people in the communities they serve have access to the resources and skills they need to help close the digital divide, adjust to virtual school, and continue learning. Their COVID-19 Resources page offers critical information, not only on digital devices, internet connectivity, distance learning, and remote instruction, but also on food and life essentials, health and wellness, fun virtual activities, and more.

Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors

While the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has been welcome news for many, it remains important to recognize the deep inequities that still plague many of our communities, leading to unequal access to and distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. Latino communities, in particular, have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, but have been vaccinated at lower rates than white Americans. To help build trust within their community for the COVID-19 vaccine and keep all community members safe and healthy, Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors has released a new resource, COVID-19 Vaccine: How to Build Trust & Expand Access in the Latino Community.

Jumpstart

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep many schools fully or partially closed, Jumpstart is prepared with at-home activities and learning resources to keep all young learners engaged and thriving. They offer resources, activities, and books to help students learn both in and out of the classroom, along with songs and storybooks for post-school hours. They also provide parent resources, including information on relevant Jumpstart partner organizations, tips for talking to children about COVID-19, information on internet access, and more.

Compass Working Capital

In the fall of 2020, Compass Working Capital hosted their annual family self-sufficiency event, National FSS Conference 2020: Harnessing the Power of FSS through People, Programs, and Policy. Now, they’ve published a report on the virtual conference, a comprehensive resource covering main takeaways from event participants, policy updates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, highlights from keynote speaker Isabel Wilkerson, thought leadership about how to meaningfully advance FSS, and more.

Highlander Institute

By making critical resources and insights readily available on their resource page, the Highlander Institute aims to “address gaps across all levels of the student and educator experience.” The page offers personalized learning frameworks and progressions, practice tools, reports, and more, supporting students and educators throughout the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.