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Press Kit
Fast Facts about Children First
Children First promotes the educational
and developmental success of children, youth and their families living in
three low-income areas in West Asheville:
• Pisgah View Apartments & Hall Fletcher Elementary School
• Deaverview Apartments & Johnston Elementary School
• Emma Community (including Emma Elementary School & Woodridge Apartments)
FACT: Over 6,000 households in Buncombe County received Food Stamps
benefits during 2006.
IMPACT: Growing Minds, Healthy Bodies (a three year partnership
between Children First, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP),
and MANNA FoodBank) reached 9 elementary and high schools with ASAP’s school
garden program, offering youth the experience to grow and eat their own
vegetables.
FACT: Low-income children are 26% more likely to repeat a grade
compared to 9% of middle and high-income children. Repeating grades can
increase the likelihood of dropping out of school.
IMPACT: Project MARCH Homework Clubs provided academic tutoring and
enrichment activities to 97 low-income children this year.
FACT: Though the majority of the Emma Community’s families are
working two-parent families, nearly 80% live in poverty with incomes below
$19,000 per year for a family of four.
IMPACT: The Children First Family Resource Center at Emma served over
700
families this year with direct assistance and education programs.
FACT: In early 2007, over 17,000 children were on a waiting list for
the child care subsidy in North Carolina.
IMPACT: Children First participated in the Buncombe County Cares
about Child Care to advocate for increased child care subsidy funding from
the state. Legislators listened – resulting in over $1 million more for
child care in Buncombe County.
FACT: In North Carolina during the 2002-03 school year, over 19,834
students dropped out of public schools; 85% of juveniles in court today are
school dropouts.
IMPACT: Project POWER/AmeriCorps members provided over 36,000 hours
of
community service – mostly addressing the needs of “at-risk” children and
youth.
Historical Highlights of Children
First
1976 - Youth Services Action Group (YSAG)
chartered by the state as a non-profit organization
1977 - Initiated and co-sponsored the establishment of Buncombe County Group
Home (now the Counterpoint program of Caring for Children)
1978 - Appointed by the Buncombe County Commissioners to lead the
dispensation of Community Based Alternative Funds
1983 - Co-sponsored the first of many Legislative Breakfast meetings with
the local legislative delegation
1985 - Co-sponsored “The State of The Child in Buncombe County” Conference
1991 - Co-sponsored the establishment of Trinity Place Runaway Shelter (now
a program of Caring for Children)
1991 - Co-sponsored “Children First: Designing the Future” Conference and
published the Children’s Agenda
1992 - Children First, was begun as a program of the United Way of Asheville
and Buncombe County
1994 - Conducted Smart Start Needs Assessment and coordinated community
effort to apply for Smart Start Funds
1994 - Conducted Child View with public officials
1994 - Began development of Family Resource Center in Emma Elementary School
District
1996 - Co-sponsored the Children’s Conference
1996 - Helped establish the Buncombe County Partnership for Children (Smart
Start)
1997 - Coordinated effort to represent Asheville at the President’s Summit
1997 - Co-sponsored the first (of many) Child Watch Tour
1998 - Children First and Youth Services Action Group merged into Children
First of Buncombe County
1998 - Established Project POWER/AmeriCorps
2000 - Reopened the Family Room at Isaac Dickson after another agency closed
2000 - Held the 2000 Children’s Conference
2003 - Merged with Communities In Schools of Asheville
2003 - Received 3 year grant from the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund
Commission for childhood obesity prevention
2005 Sponsored the 2005 Children’s Conference “Are Children First? The
Number One Question.”
2006 - Established a Lecture Series “Speaking of Children”
2006 - Fully established Project MARCH, opening three homework clubs in
Pisgah View, Deaverview and Woodridge apartments
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