ABOUT CHILDREN ARE PEOPLE, INC.

Children Are People, Inc, (CAP) was founded in 2000 by Fred Bailey. Fred had a desire to make a difference in the lives of children who need extra attention to become successful. He envisioned an after-school program that would offer tutoring, mentoring, guidance and cultural enrichment.

Fred’s vision was to shift the paradigm of thinking for at-risk children and never use the excuse that you cannot succeed because of your disadvantaged circumstances. Indeed, the children must learn to think that, “You can do anything you think you can do.”

The doors were opened to CAP in the community room of the Gallatin Housing Authority in May 2001 with 11 children enrolled. Children were referred to the program by the school system, churches, the courts and word of mouth.

Although most of the funding for the program came from the founder, volunteers supplemented the tutoring, and organizations such as churches and the Junior Service League pitched in to provide food and other supplies.

 As the children demonstrated success, the program gained recognition. The Board of Directors was established in 2003 and helped to strengthen theorganization as well as intensify fund raising. More space was needed to meet the needs and in 2003, space in the Sumner County Emergency Services building became available. Now CAP averages an enrollment of 55 to 65 students from kindergarten through high school. Some of these students have seen their efforts result in A/B Honor roll recognition. Students have had the opportunity to appreciate cultural events, attend summer camp, participate in Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts and show remarkable progress in all areas of their lives. On Tuesday evenings, local professionals volunteer their time to provide career development courses in medicine, engineering, education, and law.

As CAP continues to grow, so does the community’s response. Volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds are the reason for CAP’s success. From retired teachers, real estate professionals and lay people providing classroom instructional services, to retired nurses serving up hot meals each day, or to other retired professionals driving the vans, organizing and implementing enrichment programs and field trips, our volunteers willingly and compassionately give their time to help enrich the lives of our students.