By Ana Martinez-Ortiz
Jennifer Blatz serves as President and CEO for StriveTogether, where she oversees the organization’s operations and strategy for accelerating the progress of cradle-to-career partnerships to change systems and improve educational outcomes.
Earlier this week, the Wisconsin Partnership announced that StriveTogether awarded them approximately $350,000 in grant money. The partnership, which consists of Milwaukee Succeeds, Higher Expectations for Racine County, Achieve Brown County, Building Our Future and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said they plan to put the grant towards testing, learning and spreading strategies that focus on advancing policy change in Wisconsin.
StriveTogether is a national nonprofit that works to improve the lives of kids by supplying communities with the resources to accumulate data and make informed decisions when it comes to education and care. The organization is housed in 70 communities across the nation.
According to the press release, StriveTogether said, “We coach and connect partners across the country to close gaps by using local data, especially for children of color and low-income children.”
Their current grant, Cradle to Career Community Challenge was awarded to 16 organizations geared towards improving the lives of children and families living in poverty. With this grant, recipients will work hard to improve the education system, employment, health and housing, according to the press release. Wisconsin Partnerships will be focusing education.
“With everyone at the table, rowing together in the right direction, the engagement and commitment to the lives of our children is very clear,” said Jackie Herd-Barber, Greater Milwaukee Foundation board member and Milwaukee Succeeds co-chair.
She added that when a community works together only then can their goal of changing the systems be obtained.
“This project will bring more voices to the initiative, create awareness around the work Milwaukee Succeeds is doing, and ultimately change the way education in Milwaukee and Wisconsin operates,” said Danae Davis, executive director of Milwaukee Succeeds.
Milwaukee Succeeds, one of the forerunners in Wisconsin Partnerships and a community education initiative since 2011 is excited to continue their mission with the help of the Cradle to Career grant.
According to their website, Milwaukee Succeeds is a part of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Their mission is simple, that is, they want to improve the educational outcomes for every student, per their site. Included in their mission statement are four community goals, “kindergarten readiness, school success, college and career readiness and social and emotional learning.”
Through their agreement, both Milwaukee Succeeds and the other organization associated with Wisconsin Partnership will put their energies and recently acquired resources towards ensuring that families obtain the early-care and education they need.
The Cradle to Career Community Challenge will offer more than $20 million throughout the next three years to fund projects. The Wisconsin Partnership’s grant will support, “projects working to advance policy change for children by engaging policy leaders, leading grassroots advocacy and coordinating efforts within state and local coalitions.”
“Education is key to a strong economy, and every child should have the opportunity to achieve his or her fullest potential…,” said StriveTogether President and CEO Jennifer Blatz.