Abstract
Neighbor connections are powerful resources in creating neighborhoods rich in assets that support families. Given the potential of place-based approaches, this chapter reviews three programs using neighborhood-based approaches to strengthen families living in poverty. Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) was developed to disrupt cycles of generational poverty by supporting children to succeed in school, through college, and into the job market. Based on the success of HCZ, the Obama administration developed Promise Neighborhoods, providing funding for impoverished communities to adapt HCZ approaches to local needs. The Fostering Hope Initiative is a collective impact initiative that provides both supports to individual families and strategies to enrich their neighborhoods.
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Notes
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Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is a national faith-based movement to provide vulnerable parents with mentoring relationships and tangible support in times of need. SFFC believes children will be safe and well-cared for if vulnerable families have a network of support, including both crisis and planned respite for their children. Carefully vetted and trained volunteer families, prompted solely by compassion, build relationships with these families and open their homes to their children. This allows parents to have the time and space to rest and work out their problems without worry about losing parental custody. SFFC started with the Lydia Home Association in Illinois, which is affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America. In Marion and Polk Counties, 14 faith communities have signed on since CCS brought SFFC to Oregon in 2010. CCS is expanding the SFFC movement in Polk and Yamhill Counties and currently recruiting parishes and families across all three counties. For more information on SFFC, see: www.safe-families.org.
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Dean, J.E., Seymour, J.T., Rider, S. (2016). Neighborhood Approaches to Supporting Families of Young Children. In: Shapiro, C., Harper Browne, C. (eds) Innovative Approaches to Supporting Families of Young Children. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39059-8_7
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