Promise Project

Promise Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping underserved children with learning disabilities (LD) get the support they need to learn. THE NEED For inner city kids, undiagnosed and untreated learning disabilities are the underlying source of so many struggles. For thousands of children in NYC, learning is impossible. Not because they aren't trying – but because their brains process information in a different way, and their families don't have the resources to get them the essential support they need. Unfortunately, the Department of Education is not able to properly identify all the children who suffer from learning disabilities, leading to insufficient provision of services or no services at all. THE CHALLENGE Children struggling with LD are devastated by their inability to read and write; they have little or no chance to succeed academically. Learning disabilities have nothing to do with how smart a child is; many children have above average intelligence. A learning disability is a neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to process information in a traditional way. Left untreated, learning disabilities often lead to debilitating low self-esteem, drug use, teenage pregnancy, crime and lifelong poverty. THE SOLUTION We know that when children receive effective support early enough, they can achieve success in school and beyond. Most children with LD have the aptitude for a life of success, but it takes testing, advocacy, and educational services to unlock their potential – not readily available for families in need. Promise Project has joined forces with Columbia University Medical Center in conjunction with New York – Presbyterian Hospital to create the most comprehensive program in New York City committed to providing an educational path for underprivileged children with LD: PROMISE at Columbia.