Welcome!

Over the course of our decades-long history, the “I Have A Dream” Foundation has impacted over 20,000 young people (Dreamer Scholars) and their communities around the country and world.

Our work is not done!

As we celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2021, we were reminded of the tremendous need that still exists. We recommitted to expanding our program in more cities, and made it our goal to double the number of Dreamer Scholars we serve by the year 2030.

We work in areas where the need is greatest, with a whole class, school or housing community. In other words, we do not “cherry pick” participants based on past academic performance or ability. We focus our work on under-served communities where the majority of students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, or their families meet the criteria to qualify for low-income housing. Given that 52% of students in U.S. public schools meet this standard—that’s 25 million young people—we feel it is imperative to expand our reach to even more communities.

Learn More About the History & Work of “I Have A Dream”

There are a number of benefits to starting an “I Have A Dream” Affiliate in your city.  Being part of a robust national “I Have A Dream” Affiliate Network will connect you to a broad range of partnerships and resources, and provides you with access to program experts, experienced peers, and guidance on best practices.  We have all the tools you will need to launch and operate a successful, sustainable “I Have A Dream” Affiliate in your area. The national office will support you every step of the way, from identify funding and partnerships, to hiring and coaching an Executive Director, training new program staff, establishing an Expansion Committee and Board of Directors, collecting data and analyzing your progress. While our goal is consistency and quality across our national network, we encourage innovation and celebrate the efforts each Affiliate to reflect their community and address specific needs.

What’s ahead? Below, you will find an overview of the formal steps to identify and launch a new program.