Dear Partners and Neighbors,
We hope that the Fall season and the first few weeks of the school year have been fruitful! As the days begin to shorten and the weather gets colder, we all begin to turn our minds to keeping our momentum and sustaining our work for the months ahead. We are pleased to share a few exciting updates and information about upcoming events with you.
On September 20, we held our first Stakeholder Convening of the year. Over 60 stakeholders, including several new partners, joined us to network, reconnect, and chart the course ahead. Many thanks to all who were able to participate!
This month, we added two new members to our Backbone team - Lara Kyriakou and Arlene Torres.
As SBRT's Early Learning System Manager, Lara will lead our Robin Hood Foundation-funded work with children ages 0-3 and their families by working with home-based childcare providers and numerous other stakeholders to ensure they are ready for school and life. Lara brings over a decade of experience in childhood development and researching the effects of stress on parenting and infant development. Arlene joins us, as our Family Organizer, in addition to supporting our community outreach efforts; she will develop SBRT's new South Bronx Playgroups for families and children. Please join us in welcoming them to the SBRT family!
With plans in place and new staff aboard, we are excited to see all of you at our November events!
SBRT Expo - With generous support from Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Jr., on Saturday, November 3 we are holding the first-ever “SBRT Expo” - a resource fair for South Bronx children, youth, and families. There will be free school supplies, giveaways, and prizes - including gift cards to Stop & Shop and The Children's Place and an iPad mini. Many SBRT partners will be there to share resources and celebrate with the community. Please spread the word and click here for more information!
SBRT Roundtables - November will also see the launch of the SBRT Roundtables we announced last month at the Stakeholder Convening.
Come out Thursday, November 8 for the inaugural College, Career & Civic Life Roundtable, where we will focus on college success, employment & career exploration, and civic engagement. How can we make sure our youth and young adults learn, live, and work in our neighborhoods? What can we (schools, community-based organizations, and others) do to support this work? Join us as we talk to Bronx students, youth organizers, and social entrepreneurs about how they tackle these questions. RSVP here.
On Thursday, November 15, we will launch our new Early Years Roundtable and explore the early childhood network in Morrisania! This is a convening of providers, parents, and community members, who bring different and crucial perspectives on the strengths and challenges of supporting young children and families in the South Bronx. Insights from this group will lead to community-driven policy recommendations and actions plans. RSVP here.
Sincerely,
Michael Partis