When Children Fail in Schoo

Teddy Gross, founder of Common Cents, and his daughter Nora in love on the Upper West Side, Manhattan office. Credit Damon Winter / The New York Times

The single infusion helps Mr. Gross said, but not enough to get a long-term program upright. The arrival of a new mayor, however, allow - a strong focus on education issues for a particular campaign.

Mayor Bill de Blasio maid showed interest in the project. The main point of contact with Mr. Gross says, is Rachel Nordlinger, Chief of Staff of the capital Chirlane McCray.

Although Ms. Nördlinger from the government last month amid a flood of negative reports about his private life and other issues, Mr. A grant of $ 100,000 from the government de Blasio, out of the city go along with $ 50000: Gross recently at least partially excuse for your group is backed up.

"Cities are happy to be able to cover some of the costs associated with this program," said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for the mayor's office,. "We are optimistic that the current plan without the next recurrent government funding to develop."

The program served 683 schools in 2011-12, the last year's annual report published on the website, for $ 519.088 this year. Given all the money, said Mr. Gross, and students decide who gets grants. The program is in Albany, New York, Seattle, Colorado, Florida and Ohio.

"This is a group of students each year that no one else then donate and think about their environment, about money," Gross said. "Changing the children of social and emotional relationships with adults and the environment."

Cost to get involved including the cost of education, community service projects and students throughout the year runs about $ 1 million per year and is paid entirely by private funds or the city. At its peak in 2008, the charity nearly 3 million from private donors. In the past year increased by less than $ 1 million, Gross said.

Over the years, the organization has limped along and through the recession-related decline in donations from foundations, paralyzed in favor of it. During the financial crisis, Mr. Gross said, Common Cents "Rainbow Room past for a pizza party."
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A place full of bankers and other executives were "devastated," said Brett.

Charity Walk affected by the fighting with the Department of Education under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, it was a promising long-term support for a good cause.

This year, despite the financial burden, Mr. Gross said, could not bring himself to call the truck.

"They go to school and bring thousands of sacks of pennies in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Brinks," he said. "It would be too many principals and teachers, pupils and feeling disappointed acid unit and optimism, which is the main objective of the program to be excited."

"I do not want to get into this as a professional educator, but as a parent," he said, "and the only one in the Penny Harvest was apparently in building a sense of neighborhood and city successful belongs to me that my children grow dedicated and needs responsible and treatment. "