UPS DONATES $20,000 TO SUPPORT PEOPLE’S PREP CHARTER SCHOOL’S COLLEGE PERSISTENCE EFFORTS 

Funds will help alumni fill tuition gaps and support new programs for current students.

[Newark, New Jersey — September 30, 2021]  The UPS Foundation has awarded a $20,000 grant to People’s Prep, the city’s oldest independent charter high school, to support the school’s alumni services. The funds will directly benefit People’s Prep’s Office of College Placement, which provides their alumni with six years of services after high school graduation, and support the school’s Launch and Intersession programs which foster innovative learning and exploration for students.

The donation marks the next chapter in the partnership between the organizations that started in 2019. UPS representatives have participated in the school’s annual Career Day, mentorship program, and the school’s first golf fundraiser this past spring. 

“The amount of resources that UPS has been putting into developing our students is really something special. They have gone the extra mile by doing one-on-one mentorship and opening access to their network for our students. For a company of their size to take the time to come visit classes and talk to students in in-depth conversations, it is really unique,” said Tahirah Jordan Crawford, Director of College Placement at People’s Prep. 

John Brown, a leader of the African American Business Resource Group and Systems Program Manager at UPS, noted how important it is for the company to build strong relationships with students early in their high school careers.

“People’s Prep is an organization that UPS recognizes as a vital force and a critical path for our communities’ continued youth development and intentional career focus. We at UPS share those same values – community minded, continuous development, multifaceted mentorship and growth for our future. We are proud of the students and all they have accomplished through People’s Prep and our UPS partnership.”

Beyond the impact the grant will have on People’s Prep alumni, the experience has given school leaders a window into how they might build similar partnerships with other corporate sponsors. 

“We have a model of how the private sector and education can work together in support of students, and we are looking forward to connecting with other organizations and professionals in this way. Through UPS, we have been able to expand our network and offer new opportunities for students at People’s Prep,” said the school’s executive director, Keith Robinson.

For more information about People’s Prep’s corporate sponsorship opportunities, email mwood@peoplesprep.org.