ATLANTA — Communities In Schools, the national organization that empowers at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future, announced the CIS affiliate in Troup County will share $13 million in grant funding with six other affiliates to support students in 23 communities across 11 states, according to a press release from CIS.

The winning affiliates were selected in a competitive grant process funded through a multimillion-dollar donation by AbbVie, a research-based global biopharmaceutical company.

Recipients were chosen based on their ability to improve graduation rates, reduce chronic absenteeism and increase college and career readiness for students in kindergarten through grade 12, especially in high-poverty neighborhoods.

Over the three-year project period, 4,487 additional students in Georgia will benefit from CIS services. CIS of Georgia will seek to match AbbVie’s investment to sustain this accelerated growth and expansion into Troup County, as well as Athens/Clark County, Marrietta/Cobb County, Glynn County, Musogee County, Doughtery County and Meriwether County.

Across the country, 94,300 students from 127 schools will be supported with the grant funds.

“We are Georgia’s leading organization in providing student wrap-around services to support student success in school,” said Communities In Schools of Georgia President and CEO Carol Lewis. “This major investment by Communities In Schools National and AbbVie will allow us to accelerate that work in our communities and ensure more kids have a brighter future.”

The Challenge Schools winners are receiving support under a grant from AbbVie.

In November, AbbVie announced a total donation of $30 million to the Communities In Schools National Office to provide essential support services to underserved children.