The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement announced December 11 that it has been awarded a multiyear, $600,000 grant from the NoVo Foundation for 2018-2021. The grant will be crucial in expanding the impact of the Choose Love Enrichment Program and continue the ability to provide the program at no cost to educators across the globe.NoVo Foundation is dedicated to building a more just and balanced world. Created in 2006 by Jennifer and Peter Buffett, NoVo seeks to foster a transformation from a world of domination and exploitation to one of collaboration and partnership. The foundation partners with movement leaders working to advance adolescent girls' rights, end violence against girls and women, promote social and emotional learning, support indigenous communities, and advance local living communities. Across all of its work, NoVo supports the development of capacities in people - individually and collectively - to help create a caring and balanced world. To learn more, visit novofoundation.org.

Scarlett Lewis founded the movement following the murder of her 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, five-years ago, on December 14, 2012. Jesse was hailed as a hero that day. When the shooter stopped to reload, Jesse courageously stood in front of him and used his final moments to yell to his classmates to run to safety.

"I am incredibly grateful for the continued love and support of the NoVo Foundation," says Ms Lewis. "They have enabled us to profoundly impact hundreds of thousands of students all over the world by empowering them with the social and emotional skills to have healthy and positive relationships, deep and meaningful connections, and the ability to choose love in every situation."

The mission of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement is to ensure that every child has access to social and emotional learning (SEL) in their classrooms and to help facilitate this teaching within their families, schools, and communities. To achieve that mission, The Choose Love Enrichment Program was developed, a free pre-K through twelfth grade SEL program that teaches educators and their students how to choose love in any circumstance and helps them become connected, resilient, and empowered individuals. These skills, tools, and attitudes have been proven through decades of scientific research to be the best way to ensure a healthy, meaningful, and purpose-filled life.

This comprehensive, evidence-based program was created by educators for educators and is aligned with Common Core State Standards and American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success, and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning's (CASEL) five core SEL competencies. This unique and impactful program is easy to implement and is adaptable to varying educator schedules, environments, and uses.

To date, the Choose Love Enrichment Program has been downloaded by more than 2,100 educators in 48 states and 30 different countries who collectively reach close to 200,000 students daily.

The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement plans to use the capacity-building grant to expand its reach into new schools around the country and to create additional program resources for educators and communities.