Make a Donation

Financial Donations

Communities In Schools of New Orleans is grateful for the generosity of donors who make it possible for us to help kids stay in school. From local individuals, foundations and corporations to people from across the United States helping us to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, no gift is too small.

Unrestricted gifts are most welcome! Just write your check to

Communities In Schools of New Orleans, Inc.
P.O. Box 792800
New Orleans, LA 70179-2800

Or you can make your donation on-line by clicking the dollar sign icon on this page.

Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please note that while we publish the names of our donors and the giving club in which they qualify in our recognition materials, we do not share our mailing list or donor list with others. If you wish to remain anonymous, just let us know at the time of your donation, and we will list you simply as A Friend.

If you would like to designate your gift for a specific purpose, you may do so. Current opportunities include:

• College scholarships for students who have graduated from a high school served by CIS New Orleans
• Summer camp programs to provide quality out-of-school experiences for students
• Gifts to a particular school served by CIS New Orleans

Conversations regarding donations of cash, stocks, bonds and estate gift-planning are encouraged. Please call Sara Massey, Executive Director, 504-494-4435 or email her at smassey.cisno@gmail.com.

Special Opportunities for Giving

CIS New Orleans is a partner with two groups who have chosen to support CIS students.

Make It Happen is a group of friends based in San Diego that is helping to raise funds for CIS students. Click the link to go to their page and learn more about this special initiative.

Children, Incorporated is a well-known international child sponsorship agency based in Richmond, VA. They currently are seeking sponsorship of 100 CIS New Orleans' students from four CIS schools. To date, more than $25,000 has been donated to help these children in New Orleans. Please click the link to learn more.

• Make It Happen

• Children, Incorporated CIS New Orleans' students are registered in the Inner City Division

Donations of In-Kind Items

The CHAMPS CHOICE Store gives you the perfect avenue for making donations of products or materials to CIS schools. "Champ" refers to both the people who donate to us and to the teachers who come get items they need. "Choice" refers to the choice a donor makes about what to give, and to our teachers who are invited to choose what they need, not necessarily what they want, for their students.

We respectfully request new or very gently used items. Please remember that most of our children lost everything they owned in the Hurricane and flood of Katrina.

There are some items that we can use all year long:

In-kind donations to help families meet basic needs:

• Various sizes of caps, hats, coats, jackets, sweaters, underwear, socks and shoes
• Personal care items such as combs, brushes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene products
• Clock radios to help children make sure they get to school on time

In-kind donations for use as student incentives

• Bicycles and helmets
• Board games
• Book bags
• Books, magazines, activity books, CD’s, DVDs
• Cologne and perfume
• Coloring books
• Crayons and markers
• Handheld electronic games
• RTA passes for public transportation
• Nail polish and hair accessories
• Purses and wallets
• Puzzles
• Small Electronics
• Sports Equipment
• Stuffed Animals
• Tickets to sporting events, theatrical performances, concerts, museums

In-kind donations for CIS New Orleans office and programs
• Copy paper
• Quality art supplies for the Arts and Identity program
• Items for infants and toddlers for the Teen Parenting Program
• Book, retail and grocery store gift cards

In-kind donations for CIS schools
• School supplies
• Musical instruments for bands and orchestras
• School supplies
• Sports equipment
• Pianos
• School supplies 

Check out the goods that convention planners have donated....there is always a pile of "stuff" left when planners wrap up and get ready to leave NOLA. If you are attending a convention here, contact Sara Masssey, Executive Director, and connect her to the convention organizer. This is one of the best "green" techniques we can think of!

• National Scholarship Providers Association
• National Concrete Association
• United Negro College Fund Convention
• International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.