“If I work hard, I can give hard!” – Bradon, Promise Academy Second Grader

Each year, the children at Promise Academy offer a grant to our city.

The Promise for Tyler Grant is unique. It is child-advised, child-funded, child-delivered.

Last year, our Kindergartners and First Graders raised funds for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County. Delivered on East Texas Giving Day, April 25, 2017, this gift went to protect and encourage a child served by this outstanding local organization.

This fall, in our school-wide study of wisdom, we learned that one way to be wise is to be generous. We saw that God gives us everything we have. And He didn’t even stop at giving Himself to us in Christ.

We have, so we can give.

Our students decided to give two grants this school year instead of one. The first, the Promise for Tyler Harvest Grant, will be delivered to Pets Fur People on Giving Tuesday, November 28th, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This local nonprofit won the grant with 50% of the student vote.

Every day, our children bring coins they find in parking lots, under the couch, in the car. They give dollars they earn through lightening the loads of their families and neighbors, through sweeping and raking, mopping and cooking. The adults refrain from padding the Generosity Jars. While we could certainly give more, the authenticity of a child’s gift would be lost.

Promise cultivates wise, creative, and compassionate leaders in Christ’s name, following His ways. These leaders remind us of how we all join God in His work of giving to His world. Tyler’s children are part of how needs are met in Tyler.

We work hard, so we can give hard.

PS: Stay tuned for the Promise for Tyler Growth Grant which will be given to another local organization on East Texas Giving Day, April 24, 2018!