The Chesterfield Daily

Competition Showcases Successful Efforts by U.S. Cities and Towns to Help Young People Succeed

Chesterfield County, VA— America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One, today announced that Chesterfield County has once again been named a winner of its 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The 100 Best competition recognizes the 100 outstanding communities across America — large and small, rural and urban — that are the best places for young people to live and grow up. More than 300 communities in all 50 states applied for the honor this year. The 100 winning communities span 37 states.

Chesterfield County was named a 100 Best community for a third time because of the community’s philosophy that collaboration is the key to helping kids succeed. The SAFE organization focuses on preventing substance abuse and last year it participated in a community youth needs assessment that resulted in a community-wide substance abuse prevention initiative. The Partnership for Youth participated an assessment for suspended and expelled youths that resulted in keeping young people in school and developing fundamental educational components to impact success. Chesterfield’s Families First program provides regular home visitation to new parents to help them develop the skills they need to care for their newborn. The Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children program provides vital nutrition, with an average monthly caseload of approximately 4,000. Another initiative, the Coalition for Active Children, COACH, provides assistance with education, activities and programs designed to reduce childhood obesity. In a typical year, the program serves approximately 750-800 children.

“The prosperity of every community and this country depends on how well we care for our children and youth,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America’s Promise Alliance, “Although no place is perfect, when we have communities that make young people a priority and are working to make sure they stay in school and have all the resources necessary to lead healthy, productive lives, we must recognize them and by extension inspire other cities and towns to follow their lead.”

“At Capital One, we are committed to building stronger communities, one neighborhood at a time,” said Carolyn Berkowitz, Vice President of Community Affairs for Capital One. “That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Alliance on the 100 Best competition to recognize the tremendous work in communities across the country to create environments where children and families have boundless opportunities as well as the support systems necessary to champion their growth and encourage their success.”

The 100 Best competition was first held in 2005. This year’s winners were selected by a distinguished panel that included some of the nation’s most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders such as: Gayle Manchin, first lady of West Virginia, United Way President Brian Gallagher, former Mayor of Denver and President of Webb Group International, Wellington Webb, Thomas Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Carol Coletta, president and CEO, CEOs for Cities, Christine James-Brown, president and CEO, the Child Welfare League of America, and Dr. Suzanne Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.

“Our young people have always been a priority for Chesterfield County, and on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I want to thank the many people in county government, the schools and the community at large who work so hard to provide such an outstanding quality of life,” said Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chairman Art Warren.

All communities that completed entries in the 100 Best competition were required to submit detailed information to the Alliance on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises—resources identified by America’s Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others; to their young people. Applicants were also asked to describe how different sectors of their community come together to deliver the Five Promises and specific efforts and programs developed to ensure that their young people graduate from high school prepared for college and/or the workforce. Each of these communities, regardless of whether they were selected as a winner, will be eligible to apply for $300,000 in grants from the Alliance next month.