Destiny Alexander’s Post

Hey, everyone! Did you know that many teens in foster care face incredible challenges but still dream big about their future? Today, we want to shine a spotlight on these resilient young individuals who are gearing up for one of life's most exciting adventures – going off to college! 🏫 Why College Matters: College is more than just classes and books. It’s a place where foster teens can find stability, pursue their passions, and build a brighter future. Education opens doors to new opportunities and helps them break the cycle of adversity. 🌟 Support Makes a Difference: From scholarships and grants to mentorship programs, there are so many ways we can support these teens on their journey. Every bit of encouragement and assistance helps them take those crucial steps towards academic success. 📚 How You Can Help: Donate to organizations that provide scholarships and resources. Mentor a foster teen – your guidance can make a world of difference. Advocate for policies that support foster youth in higher education. ✨ Join Us in Celebrating Their Journey! Let's come together to cheer on these amazing teens as they head off to college. Share your own college experiences, offer advice, or simply send some words of encouragement their way. Together, we can help foster teens not just dream, but achieve. 💪❤️ #FosterCare #CollegeBound #SupportYouth #EducationForAll #DreamBig #CommunitySupport

In this insightful article from Nonprofit Quarterly writer, Rebekah Barber, MPP, the significance of Black teachers is highlighted, emphasizing their crucial role in education and the positive impacts they have on students' academic and social development. The article underscores the importance of diversity among educators and the unique perspectives Black teachers bring to classrooms. What steps can educational institutions and policymakers take to better support and retain Black teachers? Explore the full article for a detailed exploration: https://lnkd.in/eCV2UeFk #HopeUnitedCDC #NonprofitQuarterly #BlackTeachersMatter #EducationEquity #DiversityInEducation

NURTURING HEARTS INITIATIVE 1. Vision: o   “Nurturing Hearts, Illuminating Lives” §    Our vision is to create a world where every heart is nurtured with compassion, kindness, and hope. Through our initiative, we aim to illuminate the lives of children, especially those who have faced adversity, by providing them with love, support, and opportunities for growth. We envision a future where every child’s heart is a beacon of resilience and possibility. 2. Mission: o   “Transforming Hearts, Empowering Futures” §    Our mission is to transform the hearts of children—orphans, street children, and those in need—by nurturing their emotional well-being, self-worth, and inner strength. We believe that every child deserves a safe haven where they can heal, learn, and thrive. Through holistic care, education, and community support, we empower their futures, ensuring they have the tools to create a brighter tomorrow. 3. Motto: o   “Nurturing Hearts, Lighting Paths” § This motto encapsulates our commitment to nurturing the hearts of vulnerable children. By doing so, we light their paths toward resilience, education, and a life filled with purpose. Together, we create a compassionate world where no child walks alone. § Targets 4. Street Children: o  Provide a safe haven for street children, offering them emotional support, education, and opportunities for growth. o  Help them transition from life on the streets to a more stable and nurturing environment. 5. Orphans: o  Extend care and compassion to orphans who have lost their parents or guardians. o  Address their emotional needs, provide education, and empower them for a brighter future. 6. Vulnerable Children: o  Reach out to children facing adversity, neglect, or challenging circumstances. o  Offer holistic support, including physical, emotional, and educational assistance. NURTURING HEARTS INITIATIVE 7. Community Awareness and Advocacy: o  Raise awareness about the plight of street children and orphans. o  Advocate for policies that protect their rights and improve their well-being. 8. Empowerment and Resilience: o  Empower children with life skills, self-confidence, and a sense of purpose. o  Foster resilience, helping them overcome challenges and build a positive outlook.  A donor here please 🙏 🙏

Child care is one of the largest barriers to mental and economic well being for American families.  20% of Americans are negatively effect by the lack of affordable child care. Child care cost effect families of all economic levels, social statuses and levels of family access. More then 3/4th of job seekers in the WMI market cite affordable childcare as a major obstacle to employments. That is the statue que, and that is not acceptable.

In #atlanta , white families have 46 times more wealth than Black families. How do we fix that? Program Director for Baby Bonds, Amit Khanduri sat down with Kendall Glynn at Atlanta Civic Circle to discuss our new pilot program that aims to do just that. Baby Bonds are child trust accounts, funded by the government, for everyone, and they would go a long way towards closing those numbers. The concept is simple. We put money into an account for every child born, add a little each year depending on how wealthy the family is, and let it accrue interest until adulthood. When the child turns 18, they'd have 12 years to use the funds on a wealth building purchase like the down payment on a home, starting a business, or furthering their education. A federal Baby Bonds program, like the one Cory Booker and Representative Ayanna Pressley have proposed in line with recommendations from Darrick Hamilton at The New School, could close the wealth divide for young people by 50% and overall by 26%. We're proud to say that Hamilton is partnering with us on GRO's accelerated pilot which, if funded, would be the first in the nation to return research findings, and the first to be paired with a guaranteed income. Thanks to Atlanta Civic Circle for covering this important issue, and to our partners like Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta for seeing the overall vision. Together, we can make this a truly united and equal city. https://lnkd.in/eyh9fWT9

A Community Consultation and Co-Production Approach to Transforming the Primary to Secondary Transition Thank you to all the participants who took part in the community consultation online session on Friday. The session was full of rich conversations and invaluable contributions from parents, teachers, school staff, and a range of other professionals. The scariest, yet most exciting part of a community consultation is having the boldness to leave the outcome open-ended, truly centering the voice of the community rather than just paying lip service to another buzzword. Over the past four years, I've built Paradigm Project and our "My Next Steps" program with a determination to empower and equip children through this critical transitional period. We also explore methods to identify risk and vulnerability at an earlier stage. Some insights from Friday's session: - Communication needs to be improved between primary and secondary schools. - Vulnerable groups need additional support to ensure they don't get left behind. - Parents need more support and to be listened to throughout the process. - Schools need support to provide comprehensive transition aid. - While there are examples of good practice, they are fragmented, lacking a universal approach. Paradigm Project might be small, but we have big ambitions to be a catalyst for reform, helping protect and empower our children. Addressing children's needs at this age is a proactive approach to mitigating more complex needs down the line. I look forward to delivering the same session to students on May 8th and adding their insights before we rebuild and scale our offer. Big thanks to Daniel Pink for helping spread the word and recruit for these sessions, and to Eve Froude for all her help behind the scenes.

Cellphones have fast become the single largest distraction in classrooms across the nation, causing a growing number of education leaders and policymakers to consider or enact policies limiting their access during the school day. Most of those policies stop short of total cellphone bans in schools. Learn why the nonprofit advocacy group, Phone-Free Schools Movement, argues such policies don’t go far enough. https://lnkd.in/gRC_8Rpf #k12 #education #schoolpolicy #phonepolicy #schoolsafety

We were very pleased to hear that the City will be reversing a proposed $10 million cut to community schools that would have been devastating to children, youth, and families in our city’s most under-resourced neighborhoods. By reaffirming its commitment to community schools, the City sends a message that kids and families are a priority. Community schools across New York City have succeeded in raising student attendance, reducing disciplinary incidents, increasing math achievement, credit accumulation, and so much more. This restoration is a much needed-relief for our youth and their communities, but our work is far from finished. Hundreds of community schools in New York City still face a $55 million fiscal cliff from sunsetting federal stimulus funds set to expire in less than six months. For the past three years, Children’s Aid, along with our coalition partners, have pushed the City to develop a plan for mitigating the impact of the fiscal cliff, to no avail. We will continue to hold our partners in government accountable to this commitment they have made to our most vulnerable families.   We believe this administration shares in our vision of ensuring quality school experiences for all young New Yorkers and their families. We know community schools can play a central role in making that vision possible. Children’s Aid looks forward to working with this administration to continue the progress we have made through investment in community schools. https://lnkd.in/eN9ZwFWp

Education is a human right, and public schools, open to all, are the guardians of this right. What privatizers call choice does not really exist. As ESAs and private schools siphon off money and public schools start closing down, parents will be horrified to discover that nothing can defeat the closely held advantages of a private system designed to keep them out, and no amount of vouchers will make a difference. When all the public schools are closed, and you can’t get a private school to accept your child, what will you do? https://lnkd.in/eAPtCMDa #SchoolVouchers #ParentsRights #SchoolChoice

This National Foster Care Awareness Month, Let's Champion Education! Did you know? Only a small percentage of foster youth graduate college. While 93% aspire to attend, many face unique challenges that can make those dreams a struggle. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, studies have found that just 3-4% of former foster youth obtain a 4-year college degree, and only 2-6% receive a 2-year degree. Here's how you can make a difference: Donate to scholarship funds: Help ease the financial burden of college for foster youth. Mentor a foster student: Offer guidance and support as they navigate educational choices. Spread awareness: Share this post and raise awareness about the challenges faced by foster youth. Together, we can create a brighter future for foster students.   #SupportFosterYouth #HigherEducationForAll #FosterCareAwarenessMonth