Thank you to all of the generous donors who have supported Elm City Montessori School! We could not offer high-quality public Montessori education in New Haven without you. If you ave not yet contributed this year, please consider making a gift to ECMS today!
Elm City Montessori is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
THE UJIMA COLLECTIVE
The Ujima Collective was created in 2020 by a group of staff, Black families and community partners led by Amelia Allen Sherwood in response to the ways COVID disproportionately impacted Black and Brown people. The concept of this mutual aid effort was birthed out of a Kwanzaa meetup at ECMS. Ujima is the third principle of Kwanzaa and means collective work and responsibility.
This school year, we have people in our community that have experienced death(s) in their families, illness, job loss, loss of their home and people that are struggling in a number of other ways that are invisible to us. In this spirit, we are looking forward to continuing the work that was started in 2020 to honor the needs and growing call for support in our community.
Who is the Ujima Collective for?
We encourage anyone in need to apply using the request form. We understand how systems of oppression create narratives that stigmatize people with typically marginalized identities, especially Black and Brown folx from seeking aid. While all can apply, we highly encourage marginalized people to seek support from the Ujima Collective. Our hope is to support as many families as we can.
How can I request funds?
- We cannot support folx if vital information is missing—and we will not get too deep into your business.
- Your contact info must be up-to-date (email, phone, etc). We will make three attempts to reach out to you. If no response is received AND there are families waiting to receive support we will have to move on, BUT WE WILL CIRCLE BACK.
- We want folx to ask for help when it comes up and that may happen a number of times throughout the year because life happens. And we will be mindful of how many times folx are applying to ensure we are able to support as many families as we can.
How do I donate?
When submitting your donation, be sure to indicate “Ujima Collective” in the “special instructions” text box. This will ensure that the funds will be used solely for the collective. Non-financial contributions are also welcome.
OTHER WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE
ECMS accepts clothing and book donations, and you are always welcome to reach out to your child’s classroom about classroom-specific needs (ex. household goods, recess equipment, other materials for classroom use).