The Problem
The zip codes of 11101, 11102, and 11106 of Astoria and Long Island City are each anchored by a NYCHA public housing development: Astoria Houses, Ravenswood, and Queensbridge. The median income in the housing developments is approximately $21,000 compared to nearby areas that are as high as $103,000. More than 20,000 families are living in concentrated pockets of poverty. Over 8,000 a
re children. Our children are living in generational poverty facing multiple environmental, social, and physical barriers to academic success. The Solution
Zone 126 is building Cradle to Career Community Schools, where the school, families, and the community are working together to create a culture of shared responsibility for student success. Integrating supports on academics, health, parent education, youth development, and community development will lead to improved student achievement, increased parent involvement, and a healthier community. Comprehensive cradle to career services are fundamental to ultimately breaking the cycle of poverty. Using a Collective Impact approach, Zone 126 coordinates, implements, and evaluates this cross-sector effort with community organizations, public agencies, and private supporters who together provide the necessary programs and supports at the ten PreK-12th grade schools. Collective Impact is a significant shift from the social sector’s current paradigm of "isolated impact," because the underlying premise is that no single organization can create large-scale, lasting social change alone. Strong organizations are necessary but not sufficient for large-scale social change. To create this change, a separate organization that has the resources and skills to coordinate and drive the work is needed – a backbone organization (Stanford Social Innovation Review, Winter 2011).
