Neighborhood approaches to supporting families of young children

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.