NY Times columnist Tom
Friedman argues that American politics still works from the bottom up, “where
civic coalitions are succeeding at revitalizing old towns where governmental
efforts have failed: https://tinyurl.com/y77h2wku He point is borne out in the latest Annie E
Casey Foundation’s report on infant mortality in Baltimore. http://www.aecf.org/blog/using-collective-impact-to-reduce-infant-mortality-in-baltimore-city/
A “collective impact”
approach known as B’More for Healthy Babies (BHB) that blends public investment
with private philanthropic commitments has resulted in a decrease in infant
mortality by 35% since 2009 and a decrease in the disparity between African
Americans and whites by 64%
We’ve seen the same at
Share Our Strength with our No Kid Hungry campaign that operates on a
state-by-states basis. 3 million kids have been added to school breakfast over
the past 10 years. The number of children experiencing hunger is down at least
30%.
The animosity and
divisiveness that characterizes our national politics often subsides at the community
level where citizens have a clear line of sight into the needs of their
neighbors and solutions that work. Especially on behalf of children. Pragmatism,
collaboration, and innovation prevail – and show what might be possible if we
put the larger interest over individual special interests.
No comments:
Post a Comment