BY THE HAND CLUB FOR KIDS

By The Hand takes a holistic approach to child development, breaking down barriers to learning. We offer a safe and welcoming place to learn during the after-school hours—the most dangerous time of day for kids. We provide hot, nutritious meals and basic medical care, eye exams and glasses. We address hardships and counseling needs. Our reading specialists work with kids to help them catch up to their grade level, a predictor for academic success. We even have college specialists to help them prepare for and transition to college.

As a result, By The Hand is helping the most unlikely kids tell extraordinary stories. We partner with principals from Chicago Public Schools to identify children in critical need of intervention. When they enroll in By The Hand, our kids are usually reading below standards. When kids from under-resourced neighborhoods are ”not meeting” reading standards, they are eight times more likely to eventually drop out of school than if they were exceeding standards. As they come to realize that they are precious to God and they participate in our blended learning program which combines computerized assessment and reading instruction with personalized attention, often their demeanor improves along with their reading proficiency and grades. Before long, they are honor roll students and role models for other kids.