About the MGRF Foundation

Mission
The MGR Foundation is committed to overcoming social and economic barriers and creating innovative programs that positively impact our communities. The MGR Foundation is dedicated to expanding and refining educational and health programs, setting new standards for success and wellbeing

The MGR Foundation’s History
The MGR Foundation was created as a realization of a simple ideal: provide hope and support without need of return while emphasizing the human aspects of philanthropy. With the many social and economic barriers in our local communities, we made an early commitment to a path of active volunteerism and community development, constantly striving to inspire positive social change.

Our History in DuSable High School
The MGR Foundation began its work in DuSable High School five years ago with our THINK (The Hope in New Knowledge) tutoring/mentoring pilot program. For the following 4 years, we have implemented THINK in its redesigned format based both on our experience with the pilot and our discussions with the needs of staff and students. Our success at improving grades of students is proven by the administration and students requesting we return in subsequent years.  The Illinois State Board of Education approved our curriculum to be a Supplemental Education Service (SES) provider. In addition, THINK tutors provide services to students during the school day in Math and English classes. We have also been providing service learning opportunities to DuSable High School and the DuSable Campus over much the same time period. We have worked closely with both community organizations and the school community to provide the best quality programming possible.  All service learning opportunities for DuSable have been strategically located at organizations that are within the community.  Through our dedication to the campus we were selected to be the lead partner for DuSable Campus Community School.

Our Present
The MGR Foundation is dedicated to creating and supporting programs and initiatives that improve our many diverse communities and better the lives of their inhabitants. It is our Foundation’s goal to continue to push boundaries and to evolve conceptions of giving by assisting others and giving without need of return, remaining committed to action and change, and always enriching life and encouraging the future.
We invite you to learn more about the MGR Foundation at www.mgrf.org

ABOUT Community Schools

What is a Community School?
A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, services, supports and opportunities leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Schools become centers of the community and are open to everyone – all day, every day, evenings and weekends.
Using public schools as a hub, community schools bring together many partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities to children, youth, families and communities -- before, during and after school, seven days a week. These partners work to achieve these results:

  • Children are ready to learn when they enter school and every day thereafter.
  • All students learn and achieve to high standards.
  • Young people are well prepared for adult roles in the workplace, as parents and as citizens.
  • Families and neighborhoods are safe, supportive and engaged.
  • Parents and community members are involved with the school and their own life-long learning.

Key Principles of Community Schools
There are many community school models, but they tend to share a core set of operating principles:

  • Foster strong partnerships -- Partners share their resources and expertise and work together to design community schools and make them work.
  • Share accountability for results -- Clear, mutually agreed-upon results drive the work of community schools. Data helps partners measure progress toward results. Agreements enable them to hold each other accountable and move beyond "turf battles."
  • Set high expectations for all -- Community schools are organized to support learning. Children, youth and adults are expected to learn at high standards and be contributing members of their community.
  • Build on the community's strengths -- Community schools marshal the assets of the entire community -- including the people who live and work there, local organizations, and the school.
  • Embrace diversity -- Community schools know their communities. They work to develop respect and a strong, positive identity for people of diverse backgrounds and are committed to the welfare of the whole community.
  • Avoid cookie cutter solutions -- Building on the lessons of others, each community school defines its needs, identifies its assets and creates its own version of a community school.

We encourage parents, students and community members to be apart of the development of DuSable Campus Community School, please click here to Get Involved.