Communities In Schools of the Twin Cities

This Pride Month, Communities In Schools celebrates the power of belonging.

Every student deserves to feel safe, supported, and empowered to be their authentic self. Throughout the year, CIS works alongside schools, families, and communities to help create environments where young people know they matter and have access to the support they need to reach their full potential.

As we recognize Pride Month, we celebrate the contributions, resilience, and diversity of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities across the country.

Together, we can continue building schools and communities where every student feels connected, valued, and supported.

Happy Pride Month.

🎓✨ Success Starts with Support ✨🎓

We are proud to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our students!

In the 2024–2025 school year, 94% of Communities In Schools Twin Cities graduates continued on to some form of postsecondary education, including two- and four-year colleges, technical programs, certifications, and career training.

As we celebrate our graduates and so many others, please consider making a gift today so we can continue helping students build brighter futures.

💙 Donate today: www.cistwincities.org

We are so thankful for our partner, United Way of Hastings for supporting our programs at Hastings Middle and High school.

We could not do this work without your support.

🎓 What an exciting evening at Hastings High School!

Our Student Support Coordinator, Sara shared a heartfelt speech about the impact of Communities In Schools and had the honor of recognizing ONE of this year's CIS Scholarship recipient. We are so proud of the students we serve and excited to see them take the next step toward their future.

Thank you to our supporters who make opportunities like this possible. To learn more, support our work, or follow our journey, visit www.cistwincities.org and share our page with a friend. 💙

Mission Monday 💙

This week we’re spotlighting Ms. Tiara Hunter, Site Coordinator at Venture Academy and leader of the Black Student Union. Through events like Family Engagement Night, Ms. Hunter helps create a space where students and families feel welcomed, connected, and supported.

Her work goes far beyond the classroom—building confidence, leadership, and relationships that help students thrive both in school and in life. We’re grateful for caring adults like Ms. Hunter who show up every day for our students and community.

This AAPI Heritage Month, we celebrate the cultures and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities—especially here in Minnesota, home to the largest Hmong population in the United States.

Many of the students we serve at Communities In Schools of the Twin Cities come from these communities, bringing resilience and strength into our schools every day. We are committed to making sure every student feels seen, supported, and set up to succeed.

Today, our leadership team and a few staff had the opportunity to spend the morning with our partner Every Meal, and it was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.

At Communities In Schools of the Twin Cities, we work to ensure students have a safe place and access to resources, including food, so they can show up ready to learn and succeed. Partnerships like Every Meal help make that possible.

It takes a community to support a child—and we’re proud to be part of that work.

We haven’t been in the Twin Cities long but Communities in Schools has been around almost 50 years helping kids get access to resources to succeed.

We're responding to an urgent need at Venture Academy.

Due to the recent immigration crisis, many of our students' families are facing sudden financial hardship. Your donation helps cover essentials like rent, utilities, and transportation-related costs so students can stay connected to school and learning.

Help Students Now:

Family Assistance | CIS Twin Cities Communities In Schools of the Twin Cities is mobilizing immediate support for Venture Academy families.  Attendance is down significantly and many households need help covering essentials to keep students connected to school.