The "I Have a Dream" Foundation motivates and empowers children from low-income communities to reach their education and career goals by providing a long-term program of mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment, culminating with tuition assistance for higher education.

Description and/or History:
The Ravenswood II "I Have a Dream" Program is currently providing services for all 6th and 7th graders living in the Ravenswood Houses in Long Island City, Queens. These services include tutoring, mentoring, arts, drama, athletics, field trips to various social and cultural landmarks, etc. Utilizing after-school and summer programing, the "I Have a Dream" Foundation will continue to offer support to this group of over 50 students throughout middle school, high school, and college.

The "I Have a Dream" program was created in 1981, when philanthropist Eugene Lang made an impromptu offer to class of graduating sixth graders at P.S. 121 in East Harlem. He told this class that any member who stayed in school, graduated an qualified for college, would, through him, be assured of having the financial resources to pursue his or her education- his or her "Dream". Local "I Have a Dream" projects across the United States "adopt" entire grades from public elementary schools, or corresponding age-groups from public housing developments. The "Dreamers" are then provided with a year-round program of academic, social and recreational activities throughout their elementary, middle school and high school years.

Contact people:

Matt Wright, Assistant Project Coordinator, (718) 472-5589, (email) Karlisle Honore, Project Coordinator, (718) 472-5589, (email)

Address:

1401 36th Ave. #1A Long Island City, NY 11106 (See a map)

Directions:

N Train to 36th Ave. Walk down 36th Avenue past 21st. St. 14-01 36th Ave. will be on your right. F train to 21st Street (1 stop outside Manhattan). Walk away from the Queensboro Bridge down 21st St.. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: N / 36th Ave. or F / 21st St.,   Walk distance (in minutes): 7   Nearest Bus Stop: Q69 / 36th Ave., 1 minute walk