2019 Sandia Foundation Grants

Abrazos Family Support Services

Funding for a new treatment program called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy, which is recognized as the most effective approach to treat children with Autism. The Abrazos ABA program will be available for a child as soon as he or she is diagnosed with Autism and will be provided as a consistent, long-term intervention that typically includes several hours of therapy per week and can last up to three years to achieve optimal results, including mainstreaming autistic children into the public-school system with minimal assistance by increasing cognitive and behavioral functions and independence in learning. $10,000

Alta Mira Specialized Family Services, Inc.

Alta Mira is the connecting program for children who are showing delays in development or a diagnosis of a developmental or intellectual disability to enter the Part B Special Education program through the school systems. Funding would support the increased number of case management hours needed when transitioning kids to the school systems, including attending meetings at the school to help develop effective educational goals for the child’s first year in Pre-K. $8,000

Assistance League of Albuquerque

Operation School Bell is Assistance League of Albuquerque‘s signature program. The program’s primary goal is to provide clothing and shoe vouchers for at least 4,000 children in 35 APS Title I elementary and middle schools during the 2018-2019 school year. All the children qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Meals Program. Operation School Bell also conducts school-wide shoe distributions in 10 additional Title I schools, purchases new books to support literacy programs and provides hygiene items for refugees and at-risk students. $10,000

Barrett Foundation

Funding to support Barrett House Shelter, the only emergency shelter in Albuquerque for women and children experiencing homelessness and not immediately escaping domestic violence. Shelter residents receive assistance creating a housing plan to guide them on how to apply for benefits, childcare, healthcare and other services and how to overcome obstacles to secure housing. The Barrett House shelter provides shelter and supportive services to approximately 300 women and children each year experiencing homelessness in Albuquerque. $10,000

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Funding to support Mentor 2.0, a technology-enriched program embedded in high schools as a college curriculum course provided to students in a weekly class that continues over four years of high school. Additional funding will support Mentor 3.0, which provides post-high school mentor2.0 graduates with a strong start in college or career and assist them with navigating challenges as they make the transition from high school. BBBS-CNM implements mentor2.0/mentor3.0 in two Albuquerque high schools—South Valley Academy and Amy Biehl High School. $10,000

Boys and Girls Club of Central New Mexico

Funding for full and/or partial scholarships at two school-based sites: Adobe Acres Elementary and Emerson Elementary School. 100% of the student population is classified as economically disadvantaged and eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch (FLR) at both Adobe Acres and Emerson Elementary school and therefore, likely under-served and in need of quality programming, as well as assistance to attend our programs. BGCCNM currently implements Out of School Time (OST) programs at each of these schools with an average daily attendance of 40-50 students and plans to increase those numbers. $7,000

Catholic Charities

Funding for the Children's Learning Center, which helps children prepare for Kindergarten. If children are not prepared for Kindergarten, they can fall behind for the rest of their academic careers. Main reasons for the educational delay are socioeconomic status, parents' education levels and language barriers. The Children's Learning Center offers bilingual preschool for children ages 6 weeks - five years old and holds a five-star rating, the highest attainable in NM. $10,000

Children's Grief Center of New Mexico

Funding will provide a year of bereavement support programs to highly vulnerable children living in Albuquerque. These services work to improve the wellbeing of children and families in crisis by providing practical tools to help identify healthy coping techniques so that they may lead productive, prosperous lives after a death. Unsupported grief is implicated as a factor in many behavioral and physical diagnoses and can have a short and long term negative impact on young people in school as well as on adults at home and in the workplace. $5,000

CLNkids

Funding will be used to hire a floater teacher to provide individualized support in CLNkids classrooms for high needs children.  In 2018, the program served 70 children in Albuquerque ages six months to six years who received quality, trauma-informed, strengths-based early childhood education and therapeutic services, and if funded, commits to serving 70 children to ensure continued service.  $10,000

Enlace Comunitario

Funding for the JOVENES (Justice and Opportunities for Victims through Education, Nurturing, Encouragement and Support) program. JOVENES aims to support individuals and families to be in safe living environments by providing holistic, wrap-around services to survivors of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Events) and their non-abusive parents. JOVENES is designed to reduce long-term negative behavioral, physical health and educational outcomes associated with ACEs, reduce future ACEs in the Latino immigrant population currently experiencing them, and prevent ACEs through comprehensive community education. $5,000

Escuela Del Sol Montessori (Harwood Art Center)

Funding for Harwood Art Center's Creative Roots Program. Creative Roots serves youth in grades K-12 year-round through 4 free outreach programs: (1) Workshops with elementary students weekly at Wells Park Community Center; (2) Youth Mural Project twice weekly at Hayes and Garfield Middle Schools; (3) Community Art Day workshops in partnership with PB&J Family Services and Heading Home; (4) Summer Art and Social Justice Apprenticeship, hiring teens to create public artwork that furthers social progress. $10,000

Fathers New Mexico

Fathers New Mexico collaborates with high schools and community partners working with challenged families to identify young men who are expecting or parenting. Funding will help participants receive over 480 hours of one-on-one case management support and the opportunity to attend Dads Groups. Participants will also take on leadership roles, including mentoring other parents and presenting at community events and professional conferences. $10,000

Horizons Student Opportunities and Results for New Mexico

Funding will provide scholarships for Horizon Albuquerque students to attend the program. For six weeks each summer, Horizons Albuquerque students spend 6 hours a day on-site. Four of those hours focus on reading, math and STEM related lessons. Other activities include swimming lessons, tennis instruction, yoga, and guitar lessons once a week. In addition to these activities, we are adding chess, robotics, coding, and programming to our cocurricular courses. Further, families attend six workshops over the summer aimed at engaging parents/guardians in their student's education. During the school year, students and families meet once a month for additional educational programming and students receive free tutoring in partnership with Explora. Students are provided breakfast, lunch and two snacks per day. $5,000

Keshet Dance Company

Keshet’s M3 Program (Movement + Mentorship = Metamorphosis) addresses the well-being and educational advancement of children within the Albuquerque community by using the vehicle of dance to actuate educational achievement and personal growth for incarcerated and paroling youth. The M3 Program has generated transformative results with participating students tracking: 28% improvement rates on math, science, and literacy skills based on pre/post-tests; 20% reduction in conflicts with other inmates and staff compared to non-participating inmates; and 0% recidivism rate for students who complete all levels of the program as compared to the 50%-70% juvenile recidivism rate within NM. $8,300

NACA-Inspired School Network

Funding to help advance the education of boys and young men of color (BYMOC) across three schools (NACA, Amy Biehl High School, and South Valley Academy), and four nonprofit partners (La Plazita Institute, Together for Brothers, Cultivating Coders, and NM Dream Team) in Albuquerque by incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) skills into both curriculum and educational approach in school and community environments. SEL is a promising approach that teaches problem-solving strategies, empathy development, and emotional well-being. $10,000

National Dance Institute New Mexico Inc

Funding to help support our Albuquerque programs, which will provide 2,494 at-risk ABQ children with a progressive pathway of educational and arts enrichment through the 12th grade. NDI-NM will also offer a full schedule of community after-school performing arts classes, serving children ages 3-18 at The Hiland Theater. The programs offer children and teens high quality instruction with no cost barriers. $12,000

New Mexico Kids Matter, Inc.

Funding to support the CASA (court appointed special advocate) program. Research has demonstrated the benefits and effectiveness of CASA advocacy for children in foster care. Children with CASA volunteers do better in school (are more likely to pass all courses, less likely to have poor conduct in school, and less likely to be expelled) and score better on multiple protective factors that address and mitigate the impact of the abuse they have suffered. Children with CASAs also get more help and services while in the system, spend less time in foster care, are more likely to find safe, permanent homes and are half as likely to reenter the foster care system. $10,000

NM Philharmonic

Funding for the Young Musicians Initiative (YMI), which supports academic performance and encourages successful early learning habits, including focus in class, timely/accurate completion of homework, self-control, empathy, cooperation and self-confidence. YMI addresses the academic and behavioral growth of 100 low-income, culturally diverse, K-7 students attending several Title I public schools, and one charter school, in Albuquerque. YMI provides vocal and rhythm training, group lessons on individual instruments, sectional practice, full ensemble practice, academic tutoring, and public performance experiences for the children. $10,000

New Mexico Soccer Foundation

Funding to help families afford existing robust and well-run club soccer programs throughout the city of Albuquerque. Funding helps cover children's fees for programs that promote a healthy lifestyle, increases school attendance and exam scores, reduces the likelihood of school dropout and use of alcohol or drugs. $7,000

Oasis Albuquerque Enrichment Program

Funding for the Intergenerational Tutoring Program, a community volunteer opportunity that focuses on increasing childhood literacy by providing individual attention to K-4 public school students. Reading sessions are prepared by the Oasis volunteer reading mentors utilizing the Oasis 6-step, research based, literacy approach that supports classroom curriculum and includes talking together; writing together; reading the student’s writing; working with words, books or writing; reviewing and rereading; and reading to the student. 52 schools are engaged with 500 students participating and 200 volunteers. $10,000

Partnership for Community Action

Funding to support the Communities for Education and Action (CEA) program, a movement of active and engaged parents who promote meaningful family engagement opportunities and access to high quality early childhood education for all children. Using traditional community organizing strategies, PCA mobilizes families around shared goals and helps them to take action and become strong advocates for their child’s education in the home, school, and greater community. The CEA program creates an environment where families will increase their knowledge of early childhood education and evolve their parenting, leadership, and advocacy skills while also building resiliency. $10,000

PB&J Family Services

Funding to support PB&J’s Comprehensive Home Visiting Program (CHVP) which addresses stressors such as families’ lack of access to community resources and inability to meet basic needs; lack of parenting education and unrealistic expectations of their child’s development/behavior; and home environment. CHVP provides consistent long-term

parenting educational services, education regarding how to develop and enhance healthy relationships, referral to early intervention services and child developmental guidance to at-risk families with children (prenatal to three years) in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties and surrounding Pueblos. $10,000

Pegasus Legal Services for Children

Funding for the Preschool Behavioral Support Project, which benefits the children of New Mexico by increasing their educational outcomes and success rates. The project will promote best practices among educators, increase funding for behavioral support programs thereby improving outcomes for young learners. Sandia funds would specifically support the second phase of this project, which will determine policy goals for the 2019 legislative session, gather more data through Inspection of Public Records Act requests, and study the current support structure for New Mexico classrooms in need of disciplinary help. The Project will also

create a coalition of collaborating stakeholders who can help advance the policy goals, such as the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children, Early Learning NM, and the APS Early Childhood Program. $10,000

Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains

Funding for the Responsible Sex Education Institute, which focuses on youth who experience the highest rates of health disparities, including unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission. Populations PPRM works to support include, Native Americans, Latinos, and people living with cognitive disabilities. PPNM’s In Case You’re Curious (ICYC) text line and Sexual Health Educator Program (SHEP) are curricula specifically designed to assist in increasing PPNM’s reach and long-term impact. Important to note: the National Council of State Legislators reports that only 40 percent of teen mothers finish high school, and fewer than 2 percent finish college by age 30. $10,000

Presbyterian Ear Institute

Funding to provide Tuition Assistance to Albuquerque youth enrolled in PEI’s School for Oral Deaf Education. Tuition Assistance helps close the gap between what a family can pay and the stated $15,000 tuition. In 2018/2019 more than half of PEI’s School for Oral Deaf Education families will live at or below the moderately-low income level and nearly 89% of the families served will be Bernalillo County residents. $10,000

Roadrunner Food Bank

Funding for the Childhood Hunger Initiative (CHI), which supports the wellbeing and educational advancement of Albuquerque children in a variety of ways. The CHI program addresses the high rate of childhood food insecurity by feeding entire families through partnerships with low-income schools. Roadrunner is currently partnering with 40 schools conducting 34 food distributions in Albuquerque. By alleviating hunger for the entire family through CHI, children in those homes have access to healthier foods, are in better health, and money previously spent on food can be used for rent, utilities, transportation, and medical needs. $10,000

Saranam

Funding for Saranam’s two-generational program that offers families experiencing homelessness a path toward long-term self-sufficiency through housing, education and supportive community. Saranam’s programming encompasses all five components of a two-generational approach: 1) postsecondary education and employment pathways, 2) early childhood education and development, 3) economic assets, 4) health and well-being, and 5) social capital. Their children’s Support, Tutoring and Resources (STAR) Center provides afterschool and weekend activities and a developmentally appropriate way to meet the needs of the children they serve. $15,000

Southwest Creations Collaborative

Funding for the Hacia, Towards the University program, which improves employability, academic achievement, high school graduation, and college attendance rates while developing sustainable healthy behaviors among Latino/Hispanic families. The program’s objectives include expanding to the South Valley and collaborating with pre-k though high school families; working with an additional 200 adults of young children engaging them in our employability adult education programs. $7,700

Special Olympics

Funding to support the Unified Champion Schools initiative, a unique program that teams up students with and without intellectual disabilities to participate activities in their school which empowers them to create a more inclusive school environment.  In addition to the social benefits, participation in Special Olympics and the Unified Sports program promotes healthy lifestyles and a commitment to physical fitness. The Unified strategy is about unifying all students— with and without disabilities—using sports as a catalyst for social inclusion and attitude and behavioral change. Schools participate in 3 components of Unified Champion Schools: Inclusive Sports, Youth Leadership & Advocacy and Whole School Engagement. $10,000