What about inviting members of your community that were raised there and became successful to speak to the children. You can also try and invite others from similiar towns/cities to come & speak as well. It's easy to stand up there and give a motivational speech, but if you didn't come from the same upbringing, income status and have the same hardships, the message gets lost in the delivery &/or translations.

Get your community services & leaders to come as well and offer information that the kids can take home about programs that they could qualify for or sign up for.
Begin some afterschool programs geared to help children struggling with reading or math (kind of like a homework/study group)
Ask your teachers if they would begin a mentoring program where they would pair up with some children with more social development needs and give them support.

There are quite a few things that you can do for free or at low costs. Raising their self esteem is a part of motivating children and some that may not have the love, support and encouragement at home, may lack the self esteem they need to strive to do their best. Some have lost hope because the adults in their lives may have lost theirs.

Target has a program for reading and assesmblies
Toolbox4Education (Lowe's) has a program to obtain a grant for just about anything
Hamburger Helper also has a program
With Lowe's & Hamburger Helper, you just need to know what you are doing, the specifics (costs, timelines, etc.) before you apply.

I don't know about specific programs, but for any child, recognizing achievements can be a great way to motivate them to keep working hard and strive to do even better. Develop reading programs with goals and reward students for achieving those goals. Have recognition programs for reaching honor roll, for improving grades, for achieving state test goals and for being good citizens. Getting parents involved is also crucial in showing students that education is important. Motivate your parents too!

Target and Lowe's have grants that you can apply for. The amounts vary. It's worth checking out.

I am looking for programs/assemblies or ways to motivate and inspire elementary students K-6th.

We are a very poor community (leading the state in welfare/state assistance), and I want to help these children become inspired to break this cycle, to desire and strive for better.

Is anyone familiar with any programs that we could bring in for motivation, or grants that could possibly help?

Thanks for your input!
Jewelz