Communities In School expands into their own space

Published 8:45 am Saturday, January 18, 2025

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Communities In Schools is growing, helping more and more at-risk students in the community. 

On Thursday, the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Communities in School’s new location on Fort Drive.

For many years Communities in Schools (CIS), a non-profit dedicated to providing support to vulnerable students in the classroom and beyond,  had operated out of the Division of Family and Children Services (DFACS) office on Hogansville Road in LaGrange.

“There is no Communities In Schools without the community,” said CIS Executive Director Tabitha Lewis-Coverson, “It’s your support that helps us do what we do.”

Lewis-Coverson said over the years they have grown to where they need more room than their previous office could fit. She said their entire space at DFACS was the size of a single room at their new building.

CIS is currently case-managing roughly 900 kids and serving over 5000 students in a dozen schools.

“When I first began it was just me and two other staff members and about two schools. By the end of this year, we should be in 12 schools across Troup County serving the youth,” Lewis-Coverson said.

“We now have space. People always talk about, there’s nowhere for them to go after school. We’ve got you. Our families don’t have food. We have a food pantry back there in our kitchen. We’ve got you. You don’t have clothes, shoes, school supplies or hygiene items. We have that back there too,” Lewis-Coverson said. “Nobody has to be embarrassed about getting those things at school in front of their peers.”

The new office will help kids not have to wear dirty clothes to school too.

“For parents, who don’t have access to a washer and dryer, we can meet you at the laundromat, but thanks to Georgia Power, we have a brand new washer and dryer. They can come here and wash their clothes, so our kids can sit in the classroom with their peers and not have to worry about how they look, how they smell, where their next meal is going to come from,” Lewis-Coverson said.

We don’t have to worry about borrowing space for our summer program anymore, she said.

Lewis-Coverson said the major goal of what they do is to empower kids and their families so that they can succeed and hopefully graduate. 

CIS Board Chair Jamey Jackson said there has been amazing growth during his eight-plus years involved with the nonprofit.

“Coming from where we’ve been to where we are right now is an unbelievable transformation, Jackson said. “I still contend that this is one of the more important things that’s happening in our community because you’re taking kids that are at risk of not graduating school, not getting that piece of paper, and giving them the ability to do something meaningful with their life.”

Communities In Schools receives funding from many organizations like the United Way and the City of LaGrange because of the much-needed work they do.

“The city is proud to support Communities In Schools. There’s so much work that is just immeasurable in our city and our community,” said LaGrange Mayor Jim Arrington. “The council really knows that Communities In Schools is doing great work, and we’re proud of you and this new building, and we’re here to continue to support you.”