The Dayton Foundation's Governing Board has joined with others to initiate activities to help address key issues in the Greater Dayton Region. Through leadership and significant financial commitments to support these issues, the Foundation is continuing its pioneering spirit to make a positive difference for the community.

The Task Force's key effort has been to engage area businesses and minority leadership in meaningful conversation about the serious gaps that exist and the economic barriers that inhibit minority participation and success.

A critically important development to come out of the work of The Dayton Foundation's Diversity Task Force in 2007 was the formation of the Commission on Minority Inclusion and the Minority Economic Development Council, the Commission's first operational entity. This partnership between The Dayton Foundation and the Dayton Business Committee is being co-chaired by John E. Moore, Sr., and by Brother Raymond Fitz, former president of the University of Dayton. The Diversity Task Force has been phased out, with its continuing projects reassigned to the Commission and the Council.

The two groups are building and expanding on the work previously undertaken by the Diversity Task Force and are engaged in new inclusion challenges. A three-year pilot program has been established to promote greater participation and inclusion of minority citizens in all aspects of the community, while continuing a focus on the work force.

Read more about the Minority Economic Development Council in our Spring 2008 issue of Good News.

As the first teacher resource center of its kind in the Dayton area, Crayons to Classrooms will make available basic educational tools, such as paper, pencils and notebooks, as well as a wide variety of arts and crafts supplies, to qualifying teachers for children in need. Crayons to Classrooms plans to open its doors sometime later this year.

Teachers must be from schools that are pre-qualified to participate in the program, the criterion being that 70 percent of the school's students participate in the National School Lunch Program.

Other organizations providing assistance to date include CareSource Foundation, Dayton Public Schools, Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley, LexisNexis, McGohan Brabender, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Miller-Valentine Group and Montgomery County.

Read more about Crayons to Classrooms in our Spring 2008 issue of Good News.

In addition to awarding grants totaling $80,000 to support the project, The Dayton Foundation organized a funding collaborative of 20 major partners. These partners include the City of Dayton, Dayton Public Schools, Montgomery County, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area and the University of Dayton, among others. Together they have committed nearly $1 million to the project. Children and adults will be able to come after school and on weekends for programs ranging from homework clubs to community gardening and family wellness classes.

A third to a half of the students in these schools live in poverty. A national study of similar school centers in other cities has shown that students who attend these types of neighborhood schools tend to have improved grades and proficiency test scores, better attendance, and reduced behavior and discipline problems. Neighborhoods also benefit through improved safety and stronger community pride.

"As a community, we have an extraordinary opportunity at hand," said Charles Jones, chair of The Dayton Foundation Governing Board and chair of the Oversight Council of 25 community leaders to oversee the work of the initiative. "Neighborhood school centers," he said, "will lead to better neighborhoods, stronger families and better students."

An update on the status of the Neighborhood School Centers initiative can be found in our Spring 2007 issue of Good News.