I am Liberty City. You are Liberty City. We are Liberty City! A prosperous community for Liberty City s children and families.

I am Liberty City. You are Liberty City. We are Liberty City! A prosperous community for Liberty City s children and families.

INVESTING IN LIBERTY CITY S CHILDREN AND FAMILIES In keeping with the successful Harlem Children s Zone s block-byblock approach, Miami Children s Initiative has designated 29 blocks as the Impact Zone. Within the zone, MCI is currently targeting three-blocks on NW 60th between 17th and 19th Avenues. The blocks are home to Charles R. Drew K-8 Center, Charles R. Drew Middle, ten single family homes and 30 apartments located in the Annie E. Coleman Apartment Complex. More than 600 children ages 0-17 live or attend schools on these two blocks. 96% are African-American and 4% are Hispanic. MCI s Block-by-Block is a two-pronged approach: 1) laser focus on supporting/nurturing every child and their family and 2) visual signs of positive change in their immediate surroundings. In partnership with service providers and residents, Miami Children s Initiative provides every child (and their family) with the support, resources and opportunities needed to break the cycle of poverty. The goal is to inundate children and families with opportunities and resources, creating a web so big, strong and nurturing, that the only outcome is SUCCESS.

A PROVEN MODEL IMPLEMENTED IN MIAMI Community leaders and elected officials advocated for more than five years for the Florida Legislature to allocate state funding so that we could adapt the successful Harlem Children s Zone model from New York to meet the needs of Liberty City. In 2008, after two years of intensive advocacy, the Florida Legislature adopted a Bill to create Miami Children s Initiative. Miami Children s Initiative is rooted in the philosophy of Geoffrey Canada s work in Harlem, NY. Harlem Children s Zone (HCZ) is an internationally recognized model that has experienced astounding results since it began as a pilot on one block in the late 1990 s. HCZ, which now encompasses over 100 blocks and 11,000 children as President Obama put it, Is literally saving a generation of children in a neighborhood where they were never supposed to have a chance. From Geoffrey Canada s success, we have learned that even the most ambitious goals can be achieved by creating a cradle-to-career support network, establishing this system on a block-by-block basis, and working with the most qualified and dedicated professionals willing to do whatever it takes to see our children and their families succeed.

BUILDING LIBERTY CITY S FUTURE: BLOCK-BY-BLOCK For Children and Youth, MCI s Block-by-Block Strategy is built on achieving the following outcomes: 1. Every child under the age of five is in a quality early learning program; 2. Every school aged child receives appropriate tutoring; 3. Every school aged child is in an after-school program; 4. Every child is receiving an enrichment experience (music, art, karate, tennis, dance, etc.); 5. Every school aged child is in a summer program; 6. Every child has a medical home and is current on key Early and Periodic Screenings, Diagnostics and corresponding Treatment (EPSDT). For Parents/Caregivers, MCI s Block-by-Block Strategy is built on achieving the following outcomes: 1. Parents/Caregivers are linked to available services/resources to meet their needs; 2. Parents/Caregivers are offered opportunities to learn and grow as advocates and champions for their children and community; 3. Parents/Caregivers are offered workshops on topics such as stages of development, discipline, bonding, safety, health and nutrition; 4. Parents/Caregivers are provided with counseling services and referrals to services based on need; 5. Parents/Caregivers are provided with financial literacy and skill building opportunities; 6. Parents/Caregivers are provided with employment opportunities and training; 7. Parents/Caregivers are offered a medical home.

LIBERTY CITY AT A GLANCE As defined by Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami, Liberty City is bounded by NW 79th Street to the north, NW 27th Avenue (Unity Boulevard) to the west, NW 41st Street to the south, and Interstate 95 (near NW 7th Avenue) to the east. 12 public elementary & k-8 schools 3 public middle schools 1 public high school 12,485 children (birth-17) 5,031 young adults (18-24) 760 births annually (2012) 6,854 children (birth-17) living below poverty 11,262 children (birth-17) who are Black 1,454 children (birth-17) who are Hispanic 13,089 households 47 early care and education programs (center-based and family child care) 140 religious centers LIBERTY CITY S CHALLENGE Only three out of every ten third graders are reading at grade level in Liberty City. Less than half of students in third, fourth, and fifth grade are academically proficient in math. Only twenty-three percent of students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade are academically proficient in math. Between middle school and high school, chronic absenteeism skyrockets and attendance rates plummet. Most high school seniors say they want to go to college, but the vast majority are not ready (over 70%). Less than a quarter of children get the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and less than thirty percent get 20 minutes of exercise each day. About forty percent of children are at a healthy weight. Fifty percent of students say they don t feel safe going to and from school; they feel even more vulnerable at school. Students change schools frequently. Students enter and exit schools in the Liberty City area at a forty percent mobility rate. More than eighty percent say they lack the support of a caring adult at home or at school. Fewer than forty percent have access to the Internet at both home and school. Teenaged girls are more than twice as likely to get pregnant than girls throughout the state. Three times as many children in Liberty City are living below the poverty level compared to state-wide. Data Sources: US Census - American Community Survey (2007-1) FL Dept of Health, Office of Vital Statistics (pulled from FloridaCharts) Web-based Early Learning System (WELS)

We are determined that the future of Liberty City s children will not be defined by their zip-code. We are relentless in our pursuit of high quality care and education for all children and families in our community. We are transforming Liberty City, block-by-block. We need your support in order to make this happen. To become a Strategic Partner please contact us at 305-636-2227! Visit us at www.miamichildrensinitiative.org Miami Children s Initiative is a Florida 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit.