North Dallas neighbor Randy Bowman remembers receiving help on his homework twice his entire childhood.
His mother cared about Bowman’s education, but working, raising four children and battling multiple illnesses consumed her time.
Now a successful businessman, Bowman is establishing an urban boarding program to assist families facing poverty. Children would live at communal residence halls during the week to ensure they receive academic and social support.
“The reason an after-school program is great but can’t quite fill the bill is because we could never — as a family — convince the ravages and challenges of poverty to organize themselves neatly and attack us during a two-hour period after school,” Bowman told the Dallas Morning News. “That’s not the way it works. It attacks you throughout the clock, overnight.”
Bowman is raising funds to construct two facilities in Oak Cliff for 16 children. If all goes according to plan, he’ll establish several sites with four homes for 200 students in grades 1-6.
The program would cost $52,000 per student its inaugural year, and Bowman estimates the amount would drop as low as $16,000.
