What influenced your organization to join the Florida Prosperity Advisory Board?
The Florida Prosperity Projects’ goals of cutting poverty in half by 2030 and ensuring that everyone has a pathway out of poverty aligns with Teach For America’s 2030 goal: By 2030, twice as many students in communities where we work will reach key educational milestones indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and co-creating a future filled with possibility.
What would you say to other Florida business and non-profit leaders about the benefit and value of your partnership with the Florida Chamber Foundation?
We are a coalition of equity-oriented leaders working together to reimagine and reorder the education system to expand opportunities for children. We know that there are 10 million children in the U.S. currently living in poverty, and statistically, only 14% of those children will graduate from college within eight years of graduating high school, limiting the opportunities they will have in life. In partnership with other community leaders, we have learned that dramatic progress is possible. It takes bold leaders working together in all sectors that influence and impact children and education, fighting to create a future filled with opportunity for children and their families.
What are your particular goals/areas of interest as it applies to ending the cycle of childhood poverty and securing a path to prosperity for our young learners?
By 2023, twice as many students in communities where they work will reach key educational milestones indicating they are on a path to economic mobility and co-creating a future filled with possibility. Teach For America works toward the day when every child will receive an excellent and equitable education by finding and nurturing leaders who commit to expanding opportunities for low-income students.
Why is investing in one of the Foundation’s “root causes of poverty” so important for the health and prosperity of your community?
The circumstances children are born into should not predict the opportunities they will have in life. We have seen firsthand that dramatic progress is possible. It takes bold, grounded leaders working together, inside and outside of schools, fighting for the aspirations of children and their families.
Why is it important for Florida leaders to join the fight against childhood poverty and securing the path to prosperity for ALL Floridians?
We align with the belief that no child’s zip code should dictate their future and believe that all community members and business leaders in all sectors can lead efforts to change outcomes for children and families.
Click here to learn about the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida Prosperity Project that is uniting Florida businesses for good around the Florida 2030 Blueprint goal of cutting Florida childhood poverty in half by 2030 and ensuring 100% have a pathway out.