Editor’s Note: There is a wide gap between the investments currently made for children and what is truly needed to change the status quo for all children. But the intense global economic competition America now faces may provide a new rationale for investing in all children.

A recent item by columnist Sam Fulwood III posed the question: “Do most Americans really care about people living in poverty?” and then answered: “I doubt it.” Is he right?

Maybe. I know that I often wonder why, as a nation, we are unable to marshal the resources to truly help all children and invest in their future. And by all children I mean not only those from our middle and upper classes, but also those from our lower middle class, working poor, and families living in entrenched poverty. A friend gave this a different twist, noting that society often views these children as “somebody else’s children, because they are not the children the public sees each day and not the children they care to see.” Is she right? Maybe.

Certainly there are numerous public, nonprofit, and civic efforts—formal and informal, organizations and individuals—working to make a difference in children’s lives. And we are grateful for these labors. But despite these wonderful efforts, we can’t deny the gap between what exists and what is truly needed for all children remains a wide one.

So why can’t we get this done for our children? Ultimately, I believe there is a lack of conviction and will—political, private, and public—to do what is really necessary to change the status quo for children of working poor families and those living in poverty. As a result, we are in danger of losing a very important national resource.

We’ve known for years that investing in the future of our children is one of the best investments we can make—public or private. And the facts are compelling, regardless of political persuasion. When a child grows into a responsible adult leading a productive life, the social and fiscal gains to society are significant. And, for those whose lives are compromised by early teen pregnancy, poor education, truancy, jail, drugs, gangs, or even early death, the costs to society are huge and tear away at our community’s social fabric.

However, the case obviously has not been compelling enough to drive the kinds of long-term public policy change, private and philanthropic involvement, and community-building solutions that would change the life outcomes for children on a broader scale.

But there is a new and growing threat facing our country that may just tip the scales in favor of greater and more effective investments in children. Simply put, we have entered an era of heightened global competition in which America’s supremacy as an economic superpower is being seriously challenged.

We are in the midst of the economic battle of our lifetime, and no one can know for sure how it will play out for America. Certainly, we can be quite optimistic about the exciting new opportunities globalization makes possible, the new markets that will emerge, and the innovation we will witness. But, there will also be a dislocation for many in our country. The loss of manufacturing jobs over the past 20 to 30 years—the early indicator of the impending global competitiveness challenge—has crippled many communities and created “economic wastelands” in too many of our cities.

And innovation, once almost the exclusive province of the United States, is going global and is driving the growing middle class in countries like India and China, while our middle class gets weakened as salaries erode, pension funds go under, and the high cost of healthcare hangs over all of our heads. And, less obvious, but still ominous for our country, are the early stages of movement in research and even higher education to shores beyond our own.

So what does all this have to do with our children? To win this economic “battle of a lifetime,” our country can’t afford to lose one good mind, one talented child, in this global economic challenge that is really just beginning to unfold. And, we certainly can’t continue to sustain the growing adverse social costs that occur when children fail to grow into adults who lead productive lives. For the sake of America and the sake of each and every one of us, we must ensure that all children have the opportunity to live the American dream. And if we don’t act, that dream will be all but lost for too many of our children.

From a pragmatic standpoint, we will have a finite amount of public funding available, and we must find better, smarter ways to invest that money to have the greatest impact for our children. We must also recognize that, as important as the public support and money is, government can’t solve this challenge alone. Communities need to come together more—institutions, small business, foundations, philanthropists, and community activists—to work toward a common good. A common good grounded in sound economics, but one that also acknowledges the importance of human intellect and spirit, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, or geography.

Although the challenge before us is great, one should not doubt the resilience of the American people in the face of adversity. I remember the challenge of the 1950s when Russia took the lead in the race to space with Sputnik and saw our country respond in a way that spawned massive innovation and literally created and fueled the growth of what is today our high technology industries. And, in the 1980s, as Japan’s rising economic and management prowess threatened our position, we responded with a fundamental change in American business that affected industries for years to come.

Even now, there are indications that a communal response may already be at work in the aftermath of recent natural disasters. Informal networks appear to be coming together in small to big ways, including communities, nonprofits and faith-based organizations taking in the “new” homeless on an unprecedented scale; communities adopting the displaced; or police and fire departments across the nation coming together to support their brethren in affected areas. And, just recently Independent Sector convened a select group of leaders to discuss the future of the social compact in America.

Maybe the resiliency of the American people is at work in new ways, but, if so, how do we better put it to work for all of our children and for our economic future? And how can we do so here in the National Capital Region?

The National Capital Region is one of the most important regions in America, home to our country’s federal government, rich in assets, and blessed with a strong economic underpinning. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the people and institutions of this region came together to leverage the region’s economic strength, social assets, resourcefulness, and stability to demonstrate new and better ways to invest in our children as an important part of the formula for ensuring competitiveness, quality of life, and providing opportunity to all?

This isn’t to say that there are not effective programs and efforts underway and people working to bring forces together. One example is the DC Education Compact, which has brought together the different sectors—public, private, and nonprofit—with parents, teachers, principals, and unions to address public education in the District of Columbia. And, there are other such examples of good work happening in the region that will positively impact children.

But, the sheer scope of the challenge posed by globalization, the gaps we need to overcome in our own region, and the opportunity we have with our children strongly suggests that quantum, transformational change is needed.

We can do this—but only if we find the will. That means asking tough questions; making smart, effective investments in our future; coming together for the common good; protecting our economic prosperity; and closing the divides among us.

In our work with Venture Philanthropy Partners, we pursue a path that we think offers one of the ways to drive fundamental change in improving the lives of children and trigger an even broader effect. We believe there are organizations and leaders that are truly making a difference. Organizations with breakthrough potential—a potential that, when realized, will not only make a greater difference in the lives of the thousands of children they serve, but will raise the bar of performance, bring quantum change to our expectation for what is possible, and help drive change more broadly to impact the lives of tens of thousands more children beyond those now directly served.

We see this potential for dramatic change in the organizations in VPP’s portfolio and other organizations like them in the region―demonstrating that public education in urban centers can work; showing that with the right support many more students of low-income families capable of a college education will have the opportunity to get one; proving that young people, who were not able to succeed in traditional public school, can make it and successfully go on to college; and scaling the delivery of quality, needed healthcare to mothers and children of low-income families with lasting impact on their lives.

These organizations and their leaders are, in a way, a new breed. Already well-known in the region, they are thinking differently about what they can do. They are bolder in their plans. They are making tough decisions about their focus, growth, and financial health. They are investing in building and strengthening their organizations and in the ways they improve the lives of children.

Collectively, these leaders with their stronger organizations and their constituencies, along with others like them, represent a force for change to improve the lives of children in the region. They represent an investment in children and in our economic future.

At Venture Philanthropy Partners we strongly believe that one answer to the challenge our nation and region faces is to invest to create nonprofit “market leaders” serving children that will inspire people, foundations, corporations, and policymakers to believe programs can work and are worth investing in.

We are also focused on building on what we and our nonprofit investment partners are accomplishing, thinking about our future, and learning from our collective work of the past five years. We want to better serve the nonprofits in the region and be a part of the region’s response to changing the fate of its children and bolstering its economic future. We are determined that our efforts should have a much greater impact in our ultimate goal—improving the lives of all children in the National Capital Region and helping our nation be economically competitive in the 21st century.

Everyone—national and regional officials, thought leaders, heads of organizations, and community activists—needs to ask these difficult questions about how to improve outcomes for children, think differently, and find new ways to make a difference. It’s not about yesterday’s battles, but about the sizable challenges we face in the future.

We welcome your input into our process because each of you can provide valuable insights. The question is simple: what one or two things could VPP, nonprofits, and others in the region do to make the biggest difference in the lives of children in the National Capital Region over the next 10 to 20 years?

Please send your responses to editor@vppartners.org. In a future issue, we will compile and share your feedback. Thank you for considering this request.

As always, my best,
Mario Morino

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VPP Board Member Billy Shore was named by US News and World Report as one of America’s Best Leaders. These 25 leaders were chosen by a committee convened by the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Other leaders recognized include Bill Drayton and Geoff Canada. Through his visionary leadership of Share our Strength, the nation’s leading anti-hunger organization, Shore has raised nearly $190 million for the fight against hunger in the US and abroad, while demonstrating the huge potential of innovative corporate partnerships and cause-related marketing initiatives to fund social causes. His far-reaching work has enriched the nonprofit sector in so many ways, but his real legacy lies in his vision and inspiration, which has motivated literally thousands of individuals to look at life differently, more positively, and certainly more entrepreneurially.

VPP Chairman Mario Morino said, “We have been incredibly fortunate to have the benefit of Billy's leadership at Venture Philanthropy Partners, where he has been core to our work. Billy has been there for VPP and me well before there was a VPP, and his contributions have been invaluable. And, on a personal level, I have benefited enormously from his wisdom, perspective, and most importantly, his friendship.”

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Investment Partner Updates

CentroNia Opens New Site for Pre-K Program and New Playground
Thanks to Isabel Barranzuela, Communications Associate, for this update.

CentroNía@Harvard Street opened its doors to 72 three- and four-year-olds on September 5. The new site shares space with the Carlos Rosario International Career Center and Public Charter School, which serves students studying for their Graduation Equivalency Degree (GED) and adults learning English as a Second Language. Many of the pre-K students go to school while their parents are in class elsewhere in the building. Site Director Marissa Castro Mikoy said, “We are thrilled to further strengthen our partnership with Carlos Rosario. The program has gotten off to a great start, and we have lots of exciting things in store for families of the center. We are looking forward to a very exciting and successful year!”

CentroNía@Harvard Street’s opening was made possible through a partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD). CentroNía was selected as a flagship program for the District’s universal pre-K program.

According to the Harvard Family Research Project, reading development and achievement can be predicted by vocabulary and early literacy development in the first five years of life. “The possibility of increasing capacity and accessibility to quality early childhood education for members of this community is not only a significant accomplishment but also encourages us to continue the work we do for years to come," Beatriz Otero, CentroNía's Executive Director, said.

On Friday, November 4, nearly 200 volunteers from the community joined S.M.A.R.T spokesperson Cindy Crawford to help build the first Smart Spot playground, which features state-of-the-art play equipment from PlayWorld™ systems, including a large climbing structure; music, art, and science educational panels; a covered outdoor classroom space; and a garden space. CentroNía was selected as the first of 12 Smart Spot playgrounds to be built in 2006 by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to building playgrounds across North America. These playgrounds are sponsored by PepsiCo as part of the launch of its S.M.A.R.T. lifestyle guidelines to promote a healthy, active lifestyle and smart food choices.

Recognizing that a healthy body is essential to a well-functioning mind, CentroNía has already embarked on a staff wellness initiative. “The playground build gives us the opportunity to extend this initiative to the 1,000 children and families we serve and we are very excited about that,” said Carmen Ramos-Watson, CentroNía Board Chair. “We want to thank PepsiCo and KaBOOM! for building the playground at our new site so we can ensure our children stay physically active and learn the importance of living a healthier lifestyle at a young age.”

Child and Family Network Centers Receives Visitors and New Books
Thanks to Susan Francis, Director of Development, for this update.

Maryland officials, including Nancy Grasmick, Superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education, visited the Child and Family Network Centers (CFNC) on October 21 to tour classrooms and discuss how CFNC’s program could become a preschool model for the state of Maryland. In addition to Grasmick, other attendees included representatives from the Maryland State Department of Education, the Montgomery County Council, and several individuals from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Barbara Fox Mason, CFNC Executive Director, met with the Maryland representatives and will attend a follow-up meeting to further discuss CFNC’s model.

According to Beth Molesworth, Montgomery County Program Manager, “As we in Montgomery County work together to fulfill the vision of a comprehensive system of early children services that will ensure every child gets what she or he needs to succeed in kindergarten, we would like to share with Dr. Grasmick the model program that you [CFNC] have implemented. We are particularly interested in making sure that preschool children from families with limited English receive integrated services that support their healthy growth and development.”

Eighty percent of the families that CFNC currently serves speak English as their second language. To combat the challenge of developing basic literacy skills, CFNC recently was awarded a grant from the Common Ground Fund for its Family Literacy/Parent Involvement Program. Funds will be used to increase parents’ literacy skills, help parents and their children transition successfully from preschool to kindergarten, and increase their involvement in school activities, including the PTA.

In related news, CFNC’s English as a Second Language (ESL) classes have begun again. Sixty-three parents and community members regularly attend the classes held Monday through Thursday. CFNC’s new ESL teacher, Eugenie Ballering, is trained in Motheread Curriculum and has extensive ESL experience. The Motheread Curriculum uses African American and Latino children's books, poems/narratives, and storytelling as the basis for instruction. CFNC has partnered with The Reading Connection with representatives attending classes on a regular basis to teach reading techniques and provide books for parents to read to their children. In addition, the Friends of George Mason Regional Library are donating books for CFNC's children on a monthly basis.

College Summit Retreat Explores Getting From Good to Great
Thanks to Omar Garriott, Senior Coordinator, Marketing Strategy and Public Policy, for this update.

From October 25 to 28, College Summit held its largest-ever All-Staff Retreat in Baltimore with more than 70 employees from across the country. The theme of this year's retreat was execution—specifically, how College Summit can most effectively execute on the strategic goals and action plans laid out in its multi-year growth plan (the "Proof Plan").

The team spent the first full day of the retreat “gut-checking” College Summit's past performance relative to this plan and identifying key areas for improvement going forward. Day Two centered around a robust and probing discussion of the principles in Jim Collins' best-selling book, Good to Great, and its numerous applications to College Summit's programmatic and business model. A prominent group of panelists, including Michael Brown President and Co-Founder, City Year; Kathy Bushkin Calvin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer [and a VPP investor], United Nations Foundation; Alan Wurtzel Chairman Emeritus, Circuit City Stores, Inc. [a company featured in the book]; and Douglas McNeely, Executive Director, Equity Finance, Morgan Stanley engaged staff in a lively dialogue about the book and how organizations like College Summit can make the leap from "good" to sustainably "great."

The retreat, a watershed event in College Summit's evolution, concluded with a day of looking ahead and planning for the future with a healthy discussion of how to actually implement tools and strategies from Good to Great, reviewing priorities, and creating action steps.

LAYC: Yombo’s Despedida
Thanks to Lori Kaplan, Executive Director, for this first-person vignette of LAYC’s impact on Ernest Yombo, a student, staff member, and now organizational ambassador.

During our strategic planning process the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) defined its social change model relevant to its comprehensive youth development work with young people in the District of Columbia over the past 30 years. LAYC alumni live and work throughout the metropolitan region. Recently Ernest Yombo, an alumnus and a member of the LAYC senior management team, left the Center after 20 years. Ernest’s story represents the LAYC social change and youth development model at its best.

Ernest came to the Center when he was 12 years old. He grew up at the Center, his “home away from home,” as he adjusted to a new life far away from his mother and family members. Originally from the Central African Republic, he arrived in the District of Columbia with little English, speaking French as his first language. His story is a long one, illustrating the LAYC’s long-term commitment to working with youth. Ernest was supported through his middle and high school years, participating in many LAYC programs including leadership development, employment, and educational after-school and summer activities. As the LAYC is dedicated to hiring youth alumni, he eventually began working at the Center, while studying part-time to get his BA degree through a special relationship that LAYC had with a college in Wilmington, Delaware. He continued his studies receiving his MA degree from Trinity College in educational administration. Along the way the LAYC completed a “labor certification” process to stabilize his legal status (which took 10 years), Ernest met his wife at the LAYC, got married, and today has a beautiful daughter who lives in Florida, and two young children. Ernest is a leader, role model, friend, and inspiration to many youth and staff at the LAYC and in the community—for his love of the Center; his support, and high expectations for young people, the LAYC, and himself; his dedication to life-long learning; and his incredible willingness to roll up his sleeves and get any job done.

While he left the LAYC, he didn’t go too far away. He is now Vice Principal of McFarland Middle School, a school that LAYC works closely with. Ernest has decided to see whether public school administration, the field of his educational studies, is the right thing for him. In the meantime, he looks forward to working at the LAYC during the summer months, so, although it may seem Ernest has left the LAYC, he will never be gone. The LAYC is Ernest and Ernest is the LAYC!

Mary's Center Noche Tropical...Dancing Healthier Than Ever
Thanks to Lyda Vanegas, Development and Communications Officer, for this update.

Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care annual gala, Noche Tropical, will be held on Saturday, November 13, from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., at the Homer Building, 601 13th Street, NW, in Washington, DC.

Noche Tropical raises more than $100,000 each year, allowing Mary's Center to provide a year of medical visits for more than 300 newborn babies, free prenatal care to almost 200 patients, more than 700 physical exams, or nearly 2,500 immunizations for children.

Noche Tropical will be more fun than ever before, with Master of Ceremonies, Manny Medrano of ABC News; DC Council Member David Catania, recipient of Mary's Center's Commitment to Community Award for 2005; delicious tapas and drinks by Occasions Caterers; live music by DC's Orquesta La Romana; a terrific dance performance by the Quetzales Mexican Dance Ensemble; an exciting live and silent auction, and much more. For more information or to make reservations, call David Bender at (202) 420-7057.

Rita Schreiber Joins SEED Foundation Board
Thanks to Elizabeth Frazier, Director of Communications, for this update.

Rita Schreiber joined the SEED Foundation Board of Directors in October. She brings almost 20 years of experience as a psychologist and learning specialist. Her work has focused on individual psychotherapy with children and adults, parent counseling and remediation with children who have learning disabilities. With her late husband Toby, she co-founded the Educational Promise Foundation, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing educational, mentoring, and support services to poor, inner-city children, and young adults. She is also a member of the San Francisco Summerbridge advisory board—a program that, in conjunction with University High School in San Francisco, selects students for scholarships at private, college-preparatory high schools—and serves on the board of the San Francisco Jewish Museum.

Schreiber and her husband funded SEED’s replication initiative in the San Francisco Bay Area, a project with which Rita has been actively involved in for the past two years. She is excited to share her lessons from that work as SEED examines expansion opportunities in other areas of the country.

Board Chairman Rajiv Vinnakota commented, “We are thrilled to have Rita join the board, where her experience in education and child development will be an invaluable addition. She is especially interested in and knowledgeable about measuring outcomes, an area that will become increasingly important as SEED expands nationally.”

In other news, The SEED School recently launched a book club for academic teachers, student life staff, family members, and students. More than 30 students, staff, parents, and grandmothers attended the kick-off last month and shared their perspectives on Bang!, a novel by Sharon Flake. The book club will meet every other month throughout the year.

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Public Agenda Releases New Report

The Charitable Impulse, published by Public Agenda and conducted in collaboration with the Kettering Foundation and the Independent Sector, explores gaps between the views of typical donors (those who contributed at least $300, volunteered, or were members of organizations) and those who lead the philanthropic sector. Donor sentiment about charitable organizations is "enthusiastic and positive," especially when it comes to smaller, local charities and human service organizations, and typical giving tends to be based on personal experience and emotional connections. But givers also have a long memory for scandal and waste. Glossy brochures, unsolicited gifts, telephone solicitations, and high-pressure appeals "all came in for criticism and generated a high level of annoyance." The 33-page report is available for free download (PDF).

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