NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW INVESTING IN OUR KIDS All of New Hampshire’s kids deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. But right now, only some get that chance. Paiwei Wei Paiwei Together, we can do something about this. The Foundation has always been committed to effective action for the next generation. But For our kids. given the demographic and social trends facing our state, we have redoubled those efforts. We have made increasing youth opportunity a top priority. The Foundation will invest $100 million over 10 years in New Hampshire Tomorrow, a For New Hampshire comprehensive partnership bringing together hundreds of organizations and businesses toward a single goal: increasing opportunities so that young people can reach their potential and be ready to contribute to New Hampshire’s communities and workforce. tomorrow. We will make strategic grants, build and support multi-sector coalitions and advance sensible public policy to achieve that goal. Please join us. Together, we can build a stronger New Hampshire tomorrow. Richard Ober President & CEO New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Courtesy of TLC Family Resource Center Resource Family of TLC Courtesy Paiwei Wei Paiwei NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW 1 The Foundation is investing $100 million over 10 years in four proven focus areas to increase opportunity for New Hampshire’s kids — from cradle to career: EARLY FAMILY SUBSTANCE USE EDUCATION CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS AND RECOVERY PATHWAYS All kids receive All kids have All kids live All kids get the education high-quality early strong families healthy lives free and skills they need to care and education and role models of substance use thrive in the workforce MEASURE OF SUCCESS: More 25- to 34-year-olds in New Hampshire have a quality education, NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW strong earning power and the skills to contribute to the state’s workforce and communities INVESTING IN OUR KIDS Foundation scholarships helped Ayi D’Almeida through the University of New Hampshire, where he graduated with honors and a double major. Ayi went to work for Americorps mentoring kids, and plans to go to graduate school. Strong, thriving kids grow into thriving with an aging population and slower population rates of substance use in the country, and our students build and support multi-sector coalitions and advance adults who contribute to prosperous and growth — threaten New Hampshire’s long-term graduate with the nation’s highest debt load. sensible public policy. healthy communities. economic and social well-being. If we are to maintain But there are proven solutions. We know that when And — because the resources, partnerships and our status as one of the best states in the country for kids have access to a range of opportunities throughout action needed to move the needle on this issue are far But right now, too many of our kids children and families, all of our kids must have the their lives, they are able to thrive and to become adults greater than one community foundation could provide — never have that chance. chance to reach their full potential. who sustain their communities. we are working to multiply those funds and efforts with Thousands of kids from low-income families lack Together, we can make that happen. additional resources from local and national partners. access to everything from high-quality early childhood Right now, New Hampshire’s opportunity gap is TAKING ACTION care and education to advanced placement classes in widening. Pockets of poverty are getting deeper. The To increase youth opportunity from cradle to career, LET’S WORK TOGETHER high school and enrichment activities. They fall behind U.S. Census Bureau reports that 11 percent of kids in the Foundation is redoubling efforts on behalf of New New Hampshire is up to the promise of increasing their wealthier classmates by third grade — and many New Hampshire (or 28,000) are living in poverty — up Hampshire’s kids. We are investing in four proven opportunities for our kids. Working together, we can never catch up. They are less likely to go to college, from 6 percent in 2000. That is about equivalent to the areas: early childhood development; family and youth do this. We have the resources, the relationships and less able to get good jobs and less ready to contribute combined populations of Portsmouth and Plymouth. supports; substance use prevention, treatment and the long tradition of bipartisan cooperation needed to to communities. (Under federal guidelines, a family of four with an recovery; and education and career pathways. Each area narrow the opportunity gap. This is the trend that world-renowned sociologist income of $24,250 is considered to be in poverty.) And of investment aligns with work being done by the public What are you up to? Please join us with your best Robert Putnam has labelled the “opportunity gap.” 44,000 of our kids, or 27 percent, are eligible for free sector, nonprofits, education and business. Each area of ideas, your energy, commitment, voices and resources Together, we can — and we must — narrow that gap. and reduced-price school lunch. In some districts, more this important work needs generous donor support. to make sure that every one of our children has access This is not only a social obligation, it is an economic than half of all kids qualify. To achieve the goals of New Hampshire Tomorrow, to the opportunities they need to thrive. For our kids. imperative. Our kids struggle in other areas, too: New the Foundation has made a commitment to invest For New Hampshire tomorrow. ■ Vastly unequal access to opportunity — combined Hampshire’s young people have among the highest $100 million over a decade in grants and scholarships, 2 NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW NEW HAMPSHIRE TOMORROW 3 Every dollar invested in early childhood PARTNERS AND GRANTEES* development nets an average $7 return Annie E. Casey Foundation www.aecf.org in productivity and saved societal costs. Children Unlimited www.childrenunlimitedinc.org will help them to raise thriving kids. Community Bridges By third grade, children from low-income households in New www.communitybridgesnh.org Hampshire have already fallen behind their better-off peers in math Coös Coalition www.investincooskids.com and reading. And they risk staying behind. Couch Family Foundation But solutions are at hand, with proven strategies that change that www.couchfoundation.org trajectory for kids. Early Learning NH Community investment during the early childhood years translates www.earlylearningnh.org to school readiness, success in high school, higher levels of Endowment for Health educational attainment, economic security, productivity and civic www.endowmentforhealth.org engagement — and savings in everything from special education Family Resource Center of Central EARLY CHILDHOOD New Hampshire costs to rehabilitation programs and prison costs. www.lrcs.org/family-resource-center Every dollar invested in early childhood development nets an DEVELOPMENT HNH Foundation average $7 return in productivity and saved societal costs — from www.hnhfoundation.org savings in costly interventions later to gains in future productivity. Impact Monadnock Children with access to high-quality early childhood programs — like this little boy from Berlin — are more likely to www.impactmonadnock.org succeed in school and relationships, to become adults who thrive and contribute to their communities. Studies have shown that when disadvantaged children have increased quality early learning experiences, their earnings in Lakes Region Community Services www.lrcs.org adulthood are boosted by 25 percent. GOAL: All kids receive high-quality early care and education New Hampshire Children’s Trust Investing in our kids is an economic imperative. Kids who are www.nhchildrenstrust.org supported by their communities today become adults who will New Hampshire Community Loan Fund WHY IT MATTERS a high-quality early learning center, he is more likely contribute to those communities tomorrow. Like that baby in the www.nhclf.org to succeed in school and relationships, to thrive in his At an early childhood development center in Berlin, North Country, all of our kids deserve the kind of early start that Northern Human Services an infant coos and squeaks, smiling at his teacher. His community and in his career. will help them thrive. www.northernhs.org teacher makes eye contact, smiles back and says “Well, But too many of our children are not getting that River Center www.rivercenter.us good morning!” opportunity. WE’RE WORKING TO: Those people were not just passing the time. That Many of the 28,000 New Hampshire kids who live Salem Family Resources ■ Increase quality and quantity of early learning centers serving www.salemfamilyresources.org baby’s brain just grew. in poverty lack access to high-quality early childhood low-income kids. Southern New Hampshire Services Research in pediatric neurology is conclusive: Healthy development programs. Parents need access to other ■ Expand access to parenting classes and other services for young www.snhs.org brain development and growth depend on positive social critical supports — parenting education, developmental at-risk moms and dads. Spark NH interaction early in life. A strong foundation in the preschool screening tools, job training, financial literacy — that www.sparknh.com ■ Increase the number of children receiving consistent screenings to years is critical to all learning that comes later. In the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund identify developmental challenges early on. www.nhcf.org/tillotson absence of such experience, or when children experience 700 NEW NEURAL ■ Strengthen state policies and funding to support early care significant stress, brain circuitry does not develop as it TLC Family Resource Center CONNECTIONS are and education. www.tlcfamilyrc.org should — with devastating effects on cognitive and social formed EVERY SECOND Each of these goals is dependent on the dedicated work, collaboration White Mountains Community College growth which can lead to expensive problems later.