Early Childhood through Middle School

The following organizations provide assistance to young children and their families. If you would like to recommend additional resources, please contact us.

All descriptions, unless otherwise noted, come directly from the organizations whose links are provided. A Better Chance does not certify the accuracy of this relayed information.

Black Student Fund
Provides financial assistance and support services to Washington metropolitan area African-American students, grades pre-kindergarten to 12, and their families.

Breakthrough Collaborative
Breakthrough is a proven national educational enrichment program that prepares more than 2,500 high-potential, underserved middle school students to succeed in rigorous college preparatory programs annually.

Bridges Academy
This school is dedicated to educating gifted and highly gifted students who have mild to moderate attention, non-verbal, processing and/or other learning differences or disabilities that make learning challenging.  It is located in Studio City, CA and serves students in grades 5-12.

Children's Scholarship Fund
Provides partial-tuition scholarships to low-income families across the country, for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. There are no academic requirements for the students, and the families need only meet the Children's Scholarship Fund's income eligibility requirements.

Early Steps
A New York program which works to foster racial diversity in independent schools.
Contact: Early Steps, 540 East 76th Street, New York, NY  10021, (212) 288-9684

The Glenholme School
A therapeutic boarding school for young people, ages 10 to 18, diagnosed with Asperger's, ADHD, PDD, OCD, Tourette's, depression, anxiety, and various learning differences. The program provides a treatment milieu designed to build competence socially and academically. Glenholme's learning environment supports and enhances the success of special needs students. 

Head Start
A national program which provides comprehensive developmental services for America's low-income, pre-school children ages three to five and social services for their families. Specific services for children focus on education, socio-emotional development, physical and mental health, and nutrition.

INDEPREP
Helps enroll students, grades 4-8, in New England independent schools.
Contact: INDEPREP, PO Box 190002, Boston, MA 02119, (617) 427-0402

People to People Leadership Summit
This is an opportunity for middle school through high school students from around the world to visit a college campus for the summer.  They will focus on leadership, college admissions, global issues and commitment to community.

Prep for Prep
Prepares New York City students of color for college preparatory school attendance.

React/Take Action Awards
Annual scholarships of up to $20,000 for students between the ages of 12 and 18 who have taken action in their community by fighting racism, helping the homeless, working for student's rights, dealing with the environment or other significant community actions.

The Steppingstone Foundation
Toussaint Institute's Early Intervention Scholarship Program
Targets individual children, boys in particular, who at age 7 or 8 are already showing signs of "at-risk" behavior. Toussaint seeks to save lives by giving these children access to alternatives that exist in Historically Black Independent Schools, willing and able to nurture their growth without labeling them.

Zero to Three