Publications

29 Led by its directors and a staff of 14, CGM provides aer-school and summer programming to 125 children. One thing that makes this organization unique is how completely dedicated its team is to connecting with and supporting Washington Park. Staff members live in the neighborhood, so they face the same shootings, house fires and violence that the kids they serve face. "Living in the community gives us a right to a voice here," Kelly said. In 2015, CGM opened the doors of Valiant Cross Academy, a private, faith-based boys school catering to at-risk youth. Together, these efforts equip young people in a marginalized and disadvantaged community with academic, emotional, social and life management skills that promote personal and professional development. Because directors and many of the staff live and work in Washington Park, they are able "We're not trying to beat the odds that the kids we work with will end up in gangs or living in poverty. We are trying to change the odds." – Bryan Kelly, executive director, Common Ground Montgomery to form long-term relationships with members of the community and obtain firsthand knowledge of each child's circumstances and living situation. A 2015 grant from the Alabama Power Foundation allowed CGM to increase its aer-school enrollment by 25 percent. Thanks to the foundation's support, these children were able to receive reading and math retention monitoring, individual tutoring, progress assessment and homework help. Outside of academics, they have been able to participate in personalized electives ranging from dance, music, photography and visual arts to entrepreneurship, gardening and cooking. Furthermore, enrolled students aended a weeklong summer camp – a first trip outside of Montgomery for many of them. The success of these programs led to a rapidly growing waiting list. A grant from the foundation in 2016 allowed CGM to build on its previous successes and enroll more children. With the Alabama Power Foundation's support, CGM aims to reverse a wide array of cyclical problems, including poverty, teenage pregnancy, high school dropout rates, sexual abuse, drug addiction, fatherless homes, incarceration and reliance on government assistance. Kelly hopes that the organization and what it stands for will have a lasting and positive impact on the neighborhood, impart a different mindset in the community and "change what's normal." "We're not trying to beat the odds that the kids we work with will end up in gangs or living in poverty," said Kelly. "We are trying to change the odds." Education

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