EVERY CHILD EVERY PROMISE

Being researched

EVERY CHILD EVERY PROMISE. America's Promise, a national organization, was established in 1997 and headed by retired General Colin Powell. Five promises to kids were to be addressed: presence of caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education, and opportunities to help others. The Every Child Every Promise Initiative was established by the COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DUBUQUE and Mississippi Valley Promise and launched in May 2007. The local movement sought to engage members of the community in helping to identify what services existed, where gaps existed in service, and how the community could work together to assure every person up to the age of 20 in Dubuque County received the resources to be successful. (1)

February 18, 2008 was dedicated as "A Day of Promise" in Dubuque with a community gathering scheduled for the Park View Room at DUBUQUE GREYHOUND PARK AND CASINO.

A community breakfast meeting was hosted on March 3, 2008 to unveil a growth chart demonstrating the work of months of data collection and meetings with community leaders. (2) The Every Child growth chart, for example, gave Dubuque County a grade of "C" in graduation rates (86%). That was below the state average of 91% and was in a decline. The chart indicated a grade of D+ to the city for providing safe places for children. A Dubuque County child abuse/neglect rate was 2.1 percent compared to a national average of 1.9. (3)

The City of Dubuque Human Rights Department announced in April, 2008 that it planned to add an VISTA member for the July 2008-July 2009 year to assist with Project HOPE (Helping Our People Excel), Every Child Every Promise, and the multicultural family center. The DUBUQUE RACING ASSOCIATION awarded Mississippi Valley Promise $28,000 for marketing and advertising its program. In September with the beginning of school the Telegraph Herald referenced national and local research to show the need for children:

                         a. 40% of youth did not have a adult they could talk to about problems,
                         b. 24% of Dubuque County eighth graders spent six or more hours without
                            adult supervision,
                         c. 700 kids in Dubuque were on a waiting list for a mentor (4)

By October, the mayor and city council of Dubuque had made the city's youth a top priority for 2009. (5) The Telegraph Herald editorial board suggested supporting a bill to raise the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 17. (6) Funding pledges continued including a minimum three-year $10,000 annual gift from DUBUQUE BANK AND TRUST COMPANY. (7)

Organizers of Every Child Every Promise indicated in November, 2008 that two meetings would be scheduled that month with representatives of social service agencies, educators, and health care providers to develop a master plan for improving the welfare of Dubuque County children. (8) Dubuque won national recognition in 2009 for its Every Child/Every Promise Initiative and was named one of the nation's Best Communities for Young People by the America's Promise Alliance. (9)

Working with other community agencies marked 2009. The Quality Child Care Alliance was formed with the Dubuque County Empowerment, Every Child and other local organizations which then spent the week of April 19-25, Week of the Young Child, collecting books at drop sites. The books collected were distributed to child-care centers and registered child-development homes that participated in Iowa's Quality Rating System. QRS was founded to raise the quality of child are, increase the number of children in high-quality care, and educate parents about quality child care. In August "First Years First" of Dubuque County began "Born Learning," a program focusing on the importance of early learning by making everyday tasks educational Created by United Way of America, the Ad Council and Civitas, the program locally was promoted by Dubuque County Empowerment, Every Child, The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and HONKAMP KRUEGER AND COMPANY. The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque awarded Every Child/Every Promise $5,000 in October to fund and Before and After School Assessment and Development. (10) The 5th Annual Kids Expo was scheduled for November 7th at the Grand River Center. More than fifty exhibitors offered information for children of all ages. Participating were music programs, local camps, child care centers, preschools, health care services, and social service groups. Each family present was given a Family Resource Guide as a reference book for all of the activities and services in the Dubuque area. That year's event was a collaboration of Dubuque County Empowerment and Every Child Every Promise with dozens of local sponsors. (11)

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Sources:

1. "Department Seeks VISTA Volunteer," Telegraph Herald, April 30, 2008, p. 6

2. Hogstrom, Erik, "Every Child Program Opens Journey," Telegraph Herald, March 1, 2008, p. 3A

3. Hogstrom, Erik, "Every Child Mulls Master Plan," Telegraph Herald, November 09, 2008, p. 1A

4. "TH Opinion," Telegraph Herald, September 30, 207, p. 20

5. "Letters to the Editor, " Telegraph Herald, October 8, 2007, p. 4

6. "TH Opinion," Telegraph Herald, March 24, 2008, p 4

7. "DB&T Pledges to Assist Effort," Telegraph Herald, March 8, 2008, p. 1A

8. Hogstrom, "Every Child Mulls..."

9. Piper, Andy, "City Piles Up Awards in 2008," Telegraph Herald, January 1, 2009, p. 1A

10. Hogstrom, Erik, "Foundation Gives Bigger Grants for More Impact," Telegraph Herald, October 9, 2009, p 5A

11. "Kids Expo Set Nov. 7th," Telegraph Herald, October 18, 2009, p. 20