North Texas Leaders Gather for Regional Summit on Children and Families

Hosted by Burleson Mayor Ken Shetter, a member of NLC’s Council on Youth, Education, and Families, the event provided local officials with an opportunity to learn and share best practices from cities in Texas and communities throughout the nation. The conference was co-sponsored by NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute), in partnership with the Texas Municipal League and the North Central Texas Council of Governments. 

In addition to sharing strategies and ideas, participants were introduced to the Mayors’ Action Challenge for Children and Families. Since November, more than 100 mayors across the nation have joined this national initiative, which calls on mayors to set specific, measurable, locally-defined targets to ensure that every child has:

• A financially fit family in which to thrive;
• A safe neighborhood to call home;
• A healthy lifestyle and environment;
• Opportunities to learn and grow.

After a full day of presentations and facilitated discussions on promising approaches and federal funding opportunities in these four areas, the local officials present committed themselves to supporting the challenge.

Financially Fit Families in which to Thrive

Following a welcome by Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Gillaspie and YEF Institute Deputy Director Julie Bosland, the summit kicked off with a discussion on ways to help families experiencing mounting financial challenges. Victoria Sykes, a representative for Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas), highlighted components of the economic recovery package that can boost families’ incomes, including expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Making Work Pay and American Opportunity credits.

Councilmember Ann Horton from Bryan, Texas, gave a presentation on the city’s free tax preparation program, Individual Development Accounts and plans to connect residents to mainstream financial services.

Bryan is one of eight cities selected to participate in the YEF Institute’s 2009 Bank On Cities Campaign. The institute will assist these cities as they partner with local banks, credit unions and community organizations to offer free and low-cost bank accounts and financial education. Through the campaign, cities will help residents keep more of their paychecks by steering them away from high-cost check-cashers, payday lenders and pawn shops. 

A Safe Neighborhood to Call Home

The next session focused on municipal efforts in Fort Worth, Texas, and Arlington, Texas, to keep young people safe in their neighborhoods. Representatives of the Fort Worth Safe City Commission, which is directed by Mayor Shetter, described the Commission’s Bright Futures mentoring program targeted toward areas of Fort Worth with high dropout rates and gang problems, and an intervention program for youth exposed to violence.

Arlington Police Department Detective Kyle Dishko, who has been the Tarrant County Crime Stoppers Coordinator since 2006, focused on how this anonymous tip line protects and rewards residents who would otherwise be afraid to cooperate with police. 

A Healthy Lifestyle and Environment

During a lunchtime session sponsored by a local Wal-Mart store, attendees heard from Cheryl Charles, president of the Children and Nature Network, about connecting children and families to nature and ensuring they have adequate time outdoors. Charles noted that fewer than 20 percent of children walk or bike to school (down from approximately three-quarters) and many youth spend between 45 and 60 hours per week using technology. She emphasized the importance of unstructured outdoor programs for young people and city planning that ensures children and youth can walk to parks and other natural settings.

Opportunities to Learn and Grow

Fort Worth Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks kicked off the last session by describing her involvement in several initiatives to promote opportunities to learn and grow for Fort Worth’s children and youth. These efforts include Early Childhood Matters, which supports parents of young children and improves access to quality child care, and the Fort Worth Afterschool System, a city-school partnership providing afterschool opportunities at 52 elementary and middle schools.

“Without high-quality educational opportunities, the talented work force needed to lure good employers will not exist,” said Hicks.

Next, Lana Perkins, coordinator of the Burleson Opportunity Fund, highlighted this scholarship program, which is open to all high school graduates who live or attend school in Burleson. In return for community service, the program guarantees one year of tuition and fees at Hill College, with funding provided by many organizations, businesses and individuals. Perkins noted that the fund “builds a culture of college readiness.”

Finally, Jamie Souders, family advocate for Hand-in-Hand, spoke about how this federal grant program serving five North Texas counties develops a coordinated system of care for families with young children who struggle with mental health issues. 

Burleson leaders closed the event with a call to action, inviting city officials to sign on to the challenge and make commitments to set measurable goals and targets for child and family well-being in their communities.

Details: To learn more about the Mayors’ Action Challenge for Children and Families, visit www.mayorsforkids.org or contact Michael Karpman at (202) 626-3072 or karpman@nlc.org. To learn about the Burleson Opportunity Fund, visit www.burlesonoppfund.com.