WELCOME TO THE OLD STONE FOUNDATION
The staff of The Old Stone Foundation is dedicated to...
“HELPING BRIDGE THE
EDUCATION GAP”
The mission of the Old Stone Foundation in partnership with the Cleveland
Metropolitan School District has been to improve the quality of life for moms
and moms-to-be in Cuyahoga County who did not complete their high school
careers by providing opportunities in education, family structure and job skills.
The goal of the Old Stone Foundation is to
“SERVE MORE AND
SERVE BETTER”
GREETINGs From The Executive director
On behalf of myself, Marc Nathanson, the staff, board of directors and our
students, the Old Stone Foundation wants to welcome you to our website, and
thank you for your interest in our program.
This year will be a year of transition. Our long-time and dedicated Executive
Director of 13 years, Arthur Mayers, retired, and I will have the difficult
task of replacing Art’s energy, dedication, and his success in turning a great
idea into a great organization!...
Read the full Greetings from the Executive
Director
Filling a Need
The Old Stone Foundation for Education serves the young women of Cuyahoga
County who are either pregnant or have children and have not completed high
school. Case Western Reserve’s Poverty Center in 2005 reported that the potential
for teen pregnancy is greater in Cleveland than in any other major city in
the United States. The study reported that there were 70.19 births per 1,000
girls aged 15-19 in Cleveland compared to the nation’s average of 41.9. The
report also pointed out that teen pregnancy is one of the many problems that
stem from poverty.
The issue of poverty in Cleveland is of enormous importance,
as the city was named the nation’s number one big city in poverty as 41.9 percent
of citizens and over 49 percent of its children live in poverty. The outcome
of pregnancies in poor women and teenagers is a cycle of continued poverty.
Of the state’s 2.8 million children, 18 percent are living in poverty - and
that number continues to rise, especially in the Cleveland area. Giving birth
as a teenager leads to a 50 percent reduction in the likelihood of high school
completion. Federal officials estimate that nearly half of all welfare payments
go to families that began with teenage mothers.
