Boston Children Thrive in 5:
Connecting Families, Building Community

(formerly Community School Readiness Wiring)

What is Boston Children Thrive in 5?
The goal of Boston Children Thrive in 5 is to strengthen communities' capacity to engage families in their children's learning and healthy development starting at birth by increasing families' access to early childhood information and resources.

Boston Children Thrive in 5 has three major areas of work:

1. Supporting families in promoting the learning and healthy development of their children.
2. Working with service providers to enhance service delivery so that young children and their families can easily access and engage in high quality services.
3. Building a movement in support of young children and their families that engages everyone and every organization (including businesses) in the community.

Where is Boston Children Thrive in 5?
Boston Children Thrive in 5 will be implemented in every Boston neighborhood over the next 10 years. With generous funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, it is beginning in 5 neighborhoods this year. In each neighborhood there is an organization called a "hub agency" that is leading and coordinating this effort. Each of these hub agencies is working in collaboration with many community partners.

1. Allston-Brighton, led by Family Nurturing Center

2. Roxbury/North Dorchester, led by Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative

3. South End/Lower Roxbury, led by United South End Settlements

4. East Boston, led by East Boston Community Partnerships for Children Neighborhood Cluster (starting Sept. 2010)

5. Field's Corner, led by Dorchester House Multi-Service Center (starting Sept. 2010)

How Can I Get Involved?
There are plenty of ways you can be a part of this effort! Contact a neighborhood lead or Thrive in 5 today:

1. Allston-Brighton Children Thrive in 5
   Randi Freundlich

2. Roxbury/North Dorchester Children Thrive in 5
   May Louie

3. South End/Lower Roxbury Children Thrive in 5
   Arnesse Brown

4. East Boston Children Thrive in 5
   John Kelly

5. Field's Corner Children Thrive in 5
   Michelle Nadow

6. City-Wide
   Katie Madrigal, Ready Families Manager for Thrive in 5

CSRW is one of four strategies Thrive in 5 is implementing to achieve our Ready Families Goal: Parents will be able to obtain the accurate, culturally-appropriate information they seek on child development, parenting, and school readiness, as well as community resources that help to strengthen families.