Page 75 - Experience Magazine Fall 2022

told I was going from serving in the military to being a $3,000,000 to benefit the Detroit Children’s Fund. This
civilian when I thought I was going to be in for another 10 funding could not have come at a better time for the
years threw us for a loop,” he said. company, as schools faced unprecedented challenges due to
the pandemic later that year.
The Allisons were stationed in Idaho, across the country
from their families in Georgia. The COVID-19 pandemic One school DCF helped with this funding was Escuela
left the status of Trevor’s medical retirement in limbo for Avancemos Academy (EAA) in Southwest Detroit. EAA
months, complicating his job search. serves more than 350 students in kindergarten through
The THV program allows families to live rent-free in a eighth grade living in extreme poverty.
home for about two years, during which they work toward With the sudden onset of the pandemic in March 2020, EAA,
financial stability. The goal is to prepare the family for like so many other schools, was forced to move to virtual
homeownership in the community. learning. Many EAA students could not afford computers,
and most did not have Internet access. With the immediate
This is one of numerous programs offered by the nonprofit
to help service members and families of veterans overcome support of DCF, EAA was able to purchase laptops for its
short-term bumps in the road. students and work with local Internet providers to ensure
EAA students had dependable access at home.
The Allison family was able to move into a transitional
home in Canton, Georgia. “We simply did not know how to operate classrooms in the
virtual world,” said Stephanie Yassine, executive director at
“It was a massive weight lifted off our shoulders,” said EAA. “DCF worked hand-in-hand with our staff to translate
Trevor, who secured a job with a pest-control company. instruction to the virtual setting so that we could continue
He now enjoys a flexible work schedule that allows him to working with our students in the most effective way.”
work from home.
DCF’s support didn’t end there, though. Throughout the
The Allisons credit Operation Homefront and its THV pandemic, DCF remained an active partner of EAA by
program for putting them on the path to buying a house. funding annual teacher retention efforts. With this critical
Following The Road To $150 Million Raised For Charity They couldn’t envision that reality just 18 months ago support, EAA was able to provide an increase in staff
when Trevor was medically retired.
salaries and retention bonuses, resulting in a 90% retention
$3,000,000: Detroit Children’s Fund rate amongst EAA teachers during a time of mass exodus in
At the January 2020 Scottsdale Auction, Chevrolet donated the education field nationwide.
VIN 001 of its 2020 Corvette Stingray (below), raising

FOR THE COMPLETE DOCKET 75