What is a Promise Neighborhood?
Inspired by the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone, President Obama initiated Promise Neighborhoods — a federally funded program to ensure that children complete their education from cradle to college and enter adulthood as successful participants in the 21st century economy and contributors to the civic life of their communities. DCPNI is one of 12 organizations nationwide selected to receive a Promise Neighborhood implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Across America, people in marginalized communities are unable to access the health, education and employment opportunities they need to thrive. Left unaddressed, this lack of opportunity is passed on from one generation to the next, creating a cycle of poverty that is wasting potential and costing lives. DCPNI is working to end this multi-generational poverty by building stronger, healthier, and more just communities that support children and parents to thrive.
Our mission is to support all members of the Kenilworth-Parkside community in improving the quality of their own lives and inspiring positive change in their neighborhood. Our vision is to end intergenerational poverty in the Kenilworth-Parkside community.
We firmly believe that poverty is not simple, but it is solvable. Our solution? Strengthening and increasing access to services that tackle the multiple drivers of poverty — and using data to show us what works. Here’s how we do it:
Local Solutions
No one understands the complexity of poverty in a community like the community itself. That’s why DCPNI has embedded itself in the Kenilworth-Parkside community to identify neighborhood change makers already addressing the challenges before them, and providing the resources and guidance needed to make their vision of a thriving neighborhood a reality. With DCPNI’s added support, these community-driven solutions are unlocking families’ inherent ability to thrive.
Collective Approach to Challenges
Fixing one challenge, or focusing on one generation alone is not a long-term strategy. We look at educational, health and employment opportunities for all generations within a community and move them forward together.
Data and Evaluation
Data is key, and we therefore track and analyze the impact of our programs in order to identify and scale the best solutions to solving multi-generational poverty.
Capacity Building
We seek to activate efforts already in place, stimulating an existing infrastructure instead of re-inventing the wheel.
Pioneering Solutions
DCPNI is an agent of change, finding new ways to coordinate and connect the supports families need to succeed.
Impact
children succeed • parents succeed • strong community • healthy places
- Since 2014, the percentage of students entering kindergarten with age-appropriate functioning increased from 49% to 78%.
- Since 2013, chronic absenteeism for preschool and prekindergarten students at Neval Thomas Elementary School has decreased from 63% to 42%.
- Since 2014, the graduation rate for Chavez-Parkside High School increased from 68% to 79%.
- Between 2013 to 2015, the percentage of parents who discuss the importance of college and career increased from 57.5% to 80.6%.
- The percent of children (ages 0–5) with a medical home has increased from 68% to 89% between 2013 and 2015.