Fourteen years ago, an abandoned air force base was transformed into a vibrant intergenerational community, Hope Meadows, to help move children from foster care to adoption and turn seniors into active givers of supports and services. Now, as sites across the country replicate their approach, Hope Meadows is adapting to the new challenges that come with long-term success.

To borrow a tagline and flip it: what happens in Washington, doesn’t stay in Washington—far from it. Budget and policy decisions on Capitol Hill (and in state capitals across the country) have a big impact on even the smallest neighborhoods.

September 15— The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY), a 40 year old coalition of youth-serving nonprofits, has proposed a national policy agenda, “Toward a Brighter Future: An Essential Agenda for America’s Young People.”

While most would agree that “children are our greatest asset,” the federal government’s investment in children and youth continues to decline. The National Collaboration for Youth offers an agenda and policy recommendations to help states and our nation meet the needs of America’s children and youth in 2009 and beyond.

The Every Child Matters Education Fund and its local, state and national partners are hosting a nonpartisan event on the capitol steps in Washington, DC, and all 50 states to draw public attention to issues affecting America's children—poverty, health care, juvenile incarceration, early care and education, child abuse, and after-school programs.

Here’s a personal glimpse at the importance of local programs for children and families, as three stressed-out parents share how they found help and education in support groups. The California-based Children’s Advocate reports.

Too few young people are ready for college, work and life. So what do we know about the programs designed to reach young people before they “disconnect” and help ensure all youth finish high school ready for a successful adulthood. A July 18, 2008 Working for Change forum—sponsored by the Community Service Society of New York in collaboration with the Coalition on Human Needs—looked at what’s being done and how well it’s working to improve graduation rates and reconnect young our youth. Maria Allen has this summary.

I had a few hours to read, so I pulled out the folder into which I cram all of the things that catch my eye and might make good material for a column. Here’s what I read recently:

A New York City Department of Probation program, "Project Zero" offers alternatives to locking young offenders in juvenile jails, with an emphasis on rehabilitation and keeping young people connected to families and schooling. The program evaluates its progress regularly and makes adjustments based on the data—and is showing signs of success.

To make positive change for kids, you need to know where things stand, what’s working and what needs to be improved. The annual KIDS COUNT Data Book offers both data and context for 10 indicators of child well-being—and drills down to a state and local level. This year’s essay offers a “roadmap for reform” in juvenile justice. CFK summer intern Maria Allen attended the June 2008 launch event in DC and has this overview.