Children First/Communities In Schools
Our Story
Our Mission
Children First’s mission is to empower children and their families to reach their full potential through advocacy, education and services. The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
Our Vision
A community where children and youth are highly valued and are provided the maximum opportunity to reach their full potential.
Our Core Values
Opportunity
Equity
Justice
Success
Mutual
Respect
Community
Collaboration
Our History
1976 | The organization now known as Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County began as Youth Services Action Group with a focus on advocacy work.
1992 | Children First is established as a program of the United Way of Asheville-Buncombe County.
1995 | The Family Resource Center opens and provides food, clothing, and emergency supports for families living in the Emma Community.
1998 | Children First becomes an independent non-profit and provides both direct services and public policy advocacy. It begins its Project POWER AmeriCorps program.
2003 | Children First becomes the Buncombe County affiliate of Communities In Schools, a national dropout prevention network.
2007 | Children First/CIS afterschool learning centers open and provide homework assistance for K-5th graders in under-resourced communities.
2011 | Children First/CIS begins its Student Support Specialist program at Johnston Elementary, and expands over the next four years to include five schools in total.
2013 | Children First/Communities in Schools of Buncombe County is awarded official designation as a Nationally Accredited Affiliate Organization for Communities In Schools.
What Equity Means to Us
Children First/Communities In Schools (CIS) is committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the organization.
At Children First/CIS, we are committed to empowering children and families to reach their full potential through advocacy, education, and services and to surround students with a community of support, helping them to achieve in school and in life.
Children First/CIS stands against racism, inequity, and injustice. For over 40 years, we have worked to address social and economic injustices by promoting family-friendly public policy, assisting families in the community with basic needs and financial support, and working with students to help them thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. We recognize that the entrenched injustices in our society are greater than any one organization can address. All of us at Children First are committed to serving children and families in our community while advocating for systemic change to remedy decades of inequitable and unjust policies.
We stand for eliminating racism. We stand for equity. We stand for justice.
A Message From The Executive Director
Looking back over the past year brings up many examples of purposeful persistence. We continued to meet basic needs, eliminate barriers and increase knowledge of and access to resources for those we serve. At the same time, we maintained our increased reach with children and families as a result of growth, refined internal operations to improve efficiency and ramped up previously limited community engagement opportunities due to gathering restrictions. This Annual Report provides a recap of our mission driven efforts to continue educating, serving and advocating for children and families in our community. These accomplishments would not be possible without the contributions of our dedicated board, staff and partners. I am deeply grateful for their efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of others. All of us at Children First/Communities In Schools are extremely appreciative of our community partners and supporters!
Natasha Adwaters
Children First/Communities in Schools
Executive Director
