The Bronx Borough President asked Children’s Aid to lead an initiative to generate new ideas and innovative programs to combat the deep-rooted poverty that has long been part of the Bronx community.

In addition to offering a long track record of delivering high-quality programming to the children, youth, and families of the Bronx, we also have demonstrated an ability to work in partnership with other organizations, elected officials, and government agencies, most explicitly through South Bronx Rising Together, a collective impact initiative.

Community-driven change

The task force leading this initiative is using a community-led approach to identifying the major issues and developing a plan that can be implemented to achieve long-term impact. Put another way, the task force has sought feedback from the community about what is happening—and what they want to see happen—to counter poverty.

There are seven key areas that the task force, broken up into work groups, will study, prioritize, and build a plan to address:

• Employment and earnings
• Staying healthy
• Stable housing
• Education and skills
• Family stability
• Public safety and criminal justice
• Support systems and resources

The task force will continue to collect vital information and input from community residents, particularly those living in poverty, to develop a long-term plan that puts more children, youth, and families in a position to realize their fullest potential.