Orange County is taking steps to address the effects of poverty on children, “from cradle to college” and beyond.

A county initiative called the Family Success Alliance is modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone, an acclaimed New York program that works to keep Harlem kids on the track toward college graduation.

“We were inspired by the work of the Harlem Children’s Zone,” said Meredith Stewart, program manager of the Orange County Health Department, “because of their focus on picking a specific geographic area and saying, ‘How do we work with families and children in that geographic area or zone, to really create changes at scale?’

“So we want to see changes in the community, not just at the individual level, but at the community level.”

Two out of six local zones being considered were selected as pilot zones for the project.

Wednesday, from 5 until 7, partners from Zone 4 – the area between I-40 and I-85 in central Orange County – will join members of the FSA for a public meeting at A.L. Stanback Middle School, at 3700 NC 86 South, in Hillsborough.

They’ll discuss the findings of door-to-door surveys in Zone 4, which includes Stanback and New Hope Elementary. Fifty-five percent of Zone 4 students receive free or reduced lunch.

“What I might see on a daily level is a parent calling me and telling me they don’t have a place to live,” said Aviva Scully, a social worker at Stanback Middle School, “or they need help paying a bill; they’ve had a shutoff notice; they need help with clothing; lots of calls for help with food.”

A similar meeting will be held Thursday for Zone 6, from 5 until 7 p.m. at Carrboro Elementary School, at 400 Shelton St. The zone stretches from downtown Chapel Hill southwest to Highway 54, and has the highest number of the county’s children under 18 living in poverty – nearly 900.

Child care, a light dinner and interpreters will be available at both meetings.

Related Stories
‹
Giving Tuesday Offers Chance to Give Back Locally
Today is Giving Tuesday, an international day of giving. Two collaborative partnerships in Orange County, the Family Success Alliance and Making Connections: Orange County Comprehensive Early Childhood Initiative, are encouraging residents to donate to their campaign to help struggling families in the area. Family Success Alliance communications manager Kristin Prelipp says bringing awareness to local […]
Orange County Health Department Receives Accreditation
The North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation Board has awarded the Orange County Health Department with a renewed accreditation status. According to Orange County Health Department’s Finance and Administrative Services Division Director Rebecca Crawford, the accreditation process is crucial for health departments statewide. “What the accreditation process does is standardize across the state all of […]
Kindergarten Readiness Program Aims to Close Achievement Gap
A local program is helping low-income and at-risk children prepare for kindergarten. 66 children from low-income families or that were identified as needing additional support participated in a summer kindergarten readiness program from the Family Success Alliance to prepare those students for the start of kindergarten. Dr. Michael Steiner is a pediatrician at the North […]
Orange County: Capital Plan, Budget, Property Revaluation Outreach
Orange County Commissioner Sally Greene spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, April 23, discussing county news and events. She talked about the commissioners' recent work session in which they hear from County Manager Travis Myron on the 10-year capital  budget.
Easter Weekend to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County
The upcoming Easter weekend starting Friday April 18 will affect several local government services around the community.
Orange County Approves Purchase of Hillsborough Site for Future Crisis Diversion Facility
The Orange County Board of Commissioners recently approved a land purchase for a future Crisis Diversion Facility. 
Orange County: The Site of the Future Crisis Diversion Facility + Discussing Tax Rates and Revaluation
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford joins 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell over the phone on Wednesday, April 16.
Orange County Preps for Revenue-Neutral Property Tax Rate Discussion; Board Chair Shares Threshold to Watch for Property Value
The Orange County Board of Commissioners will discuss the county's updated revenue-neutral property tax rate at its meeting on Tuesday, with the board chair revealing the threshold for how much property owners will see increases.
Orange County: Land Use Plans, Soccer Complex, Revenue-Neutral Tax Rate
Chair of the Orange County Commissioners Jamezetta Bedford spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Wednesday, April 9, discussing county news and events. She talked about the commissioners Land Use Plan, which they will continue discussion of in September. She also talked about a 34 acre soccer complex in western Orange County and how that fits into the budget going forward. She talked about the county's recent property revaluation, revealing the revenue-neutral tax rate for the county, and more.
Conversations We Need To Have: Orange County Equity and Inclusion Officer Paul Slack
Orange County's Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Paul Slack spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Monday April 7. He discussed the current work of his office, which includes a successful event for Women's History Month in March. He also talked about some upcoming events. They also talked about how they came to support the work of social justice and equity for underrepresented groups, and more.
›