COR Inc., has received a $100,000 donation from the AT&T Foundation to support on-campus behavioral health services for Carver STEAM Academy students – addressing trauma and removing barriers to educational success. 

This critical funding supports COR’s mission to unlock the tremendous potential of underserved, trauma-impacted students by removing barriers to learning and creating a school-based community to harness the power of prevention and early intervention.

Located at Carver STEAM Academy, COR serves students (grades 9-12) who are marginalized by poverty and race-based educational inequities. 

Through the AT&T Foundation funding, COR will offer behavioral health services to incoming Carver freshmen, increasing coping skills to manage anxiety, stress, conflict and build overall resilience. Prevention and early intervention are key, particularly for youth who find themselves more vulnerable to risks such as exploitation and human trafficking, homelessness and high school attrition.

“This donation has truly transformed the trajectory of our three-person, female-founded, nonprofit,” Jennifer Henn, Executive Director of COR, Inc. stated. “It was important for us to house our program on-site for immediate access to youth in need. COVID 19 and the resulting distance learning made our mission to remove non-academic barriers to student success that much more important.” 

By being embedded in the school, COR’s team is uniquely positioned to provide support for basic needs and behavioral healthcare. Our goal is to enhance student self-efficacy, reduce risky behaviors and increase school engagement and achievement. 

“COR provides an invaluable service for our students and our community. This financial support from the AT&T Foundation will help COR expand their work and provide the support and resources needed to positively impact lives,” Said Yusuf A. Muhammad, Jr., Principal, Carver STEAM Academy. “I am thankful to the AT&T Foundation for this tremendous gift.” 

COR programming includes:

1. The Hub: A safe space in the school for de-escalation, early intervention programming, student groups and after-school activities.

2. Prevention Training: Prevention and early intervention student training, as well as trauma-informed training for instructional and administrative staff to support students.

3. CORner Store: Free food, clothing, hygiene supplies and resources for students and community members. During the pandemic, COR is hosting touchless drive-through distributions weekly.

“Voices that traditionally go unheard are too often considered “at-risk.” At AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, we know everyone deserves an equal opportunity … regardless of zip code, age, gender, race or socioeconomic status, and we are incredibly proud to collaborate with COR to support our amazing youth,” said Venessa Harrison, President of AT&T Georgia. “It’s simple. Our society doesn't work if it doesn't work equally for all.”

“An investment in COR is an investment in our incredible youth, which will lead to a stronger, more equitable Atlanta,” Rachel Sprecher, Executive Director, Office of Partnerships and Development at APS. “We are so grateful to AT&T and the AT&T Foundation for their support and commitment to our students and to COR for tirelessly serving them so they can lead the choice-filled lives they so deserve.”