WITS is a proud participant in the
Credit Suisse Holiday Charity Initiative. From November 15th through December 22nd, WITS will be one of 42 featured charities eligible to receive a match of funds donated by CS employees.  The two charities receiving the most donations will be awarded $150k and $100k, respectively.  Also, the charity with the greatest number of unique donors will receive $50k.

"Some of the most rewarding moments in my career have been my involvement with WITS as a workplace mentor and Board Member. Credit Suisse employees, in partnership with WITS, have literally changed the lives of so many children who deserve an equal chance for success."
- Tim Bixler, WITS Board Member and Managing Director at Credit Suisse (pictured left with his student, Surleana)

If you are a Credit Suisse employee and wish to make a donation to WITS, please visit the Credit Suisse homepage.

The partnership between Credit Suisse and WITS began over a decade ago with the shared vision of helping inner-city youth learn and love to read.

Every Wednesday after school, dozens of eager students jump on a school bus and head to the Credit Suisse office for one-on-one tutoring and mentoring. Over the years, Credit Suisse employees have spent more than 7,000 hours of their time volunteering with nearly 200 WITS students.

ADDRESSING THE LITERACY GAP

A typical middle-class child enters first grade with approximately 1,000 - 1,700 hours of time reading picture books; the corresponding child from a low-income family averages just 25 hours.

The Credit Suisse Workplace Mentoring program focuses on directly addressing this deficit by providing students with weekly, one-on-one reading sessions, in which they are paired with caring and consistent adults.

ACCESS TO BOOKS

Recent studies show that in middle-income neighborhoods the ratio of age appropriate books per child is 13 to 1. In a low-income neighborhood, the ratio is shocking: 1 book for every 300 children.

Every student in the Credit Suisse program takes home at least two age-appropriate books per school year. Not only does this build their personal libraries, but it increases the likelihood of parents reading with their children at home.

VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Juvenile justice statistics show that lacking after-school supervision, youth violence rises to above average rates between 3p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Workplace Mentoring program, which sends kids to the Credit Suisse office for tutoring, strives to directly confront this problem by providing students with a safe and educational after-school activity.

CAREER EXPOSURE

Low literacy is strongly related to unemployment. More than 20% of adults read at or below a fifth grade level.

Through WITS' corporate volunteer programs, like the one at Credit Suisse, students are introduced to a number of potential career paths. Conversations between students and volunteers often focus on college aspirations and future dreams encouraging students to break the cycle of poverty.