$1 million gift for Renaissance West education initiative

HOWARD R. LEVINE FOUNDATION

The Howard R. Levine Foundation donated $1 million to the Renaissance West Community Initiative for education and child care programs along the West Boulevard corridor.

The Howard R. Levine Foundation has made a $1 million grant to Renaissance West Community Initiative’s education initiative.

This gift will support RenWest’s Educational Pipeline Initiative as part of the nonprofit’s focus on social mobility in the former Boulevard Homes Apartments. The program focuses on education, housing stability, health and wellness through childcare, recruitment and retention of high-performance teachers at Renaissance West STEAM Academy as well as academic support for 1,300 residents along the West Boulevard corridor.

“For many years, the Howard R. Levine Foundation has been a dedicated partner in our community,” Mack McDonald, chief executive officer of Renaissance West Community Initiative, said in a statement. “They believe in our multigenerational, neighborhood-based work, steeped in opportunity. This gift continues their strong legacy of commitment to our neighbors’ success.”

The vision for this donation aligns with RenWest’s commitment to ending intergenerational poverty and building a thriving community where all residents can prosper. The organization’s goal is to close learning gaps and provide a stable childcare for working parents looking to improve their economic future.

A previous $1 million donation by the Levine Foundation underwrote a $15 million campaign that funded the construction and operating costs of the Howard Levine Child Development Center as well as additional programs and services for RenWest families. The child development center operated by Dixon Academy provides early learning opportunities for children up to age 5 as well as scholarships to low-income families.

“This investment in the Educational Pipeline Initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a brighter future for all residents, particularly through quality education and robust support services,” Levine said. “We believe that by addressing the needs of the whole community, we can create lasting change and open doors to new opportunities for generations to come."

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