ABOUT US

Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood (CVPromise) is coordinated by South Bay Community Services (SBCS) and brings together a collaboration of partners focused on family, education, health and community to provide children in Castle Park neighborhood with the kind of opportunities they need to excel in school, get into college, find good jobs and lead healthy lives.

What is a Promise Neighborhood? Inspired by the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone, President Obama initiated Promise Neighborhoods – a federally funded program to provide comprehensive approaches to changing the odds for our struggling most at risk children.

Bringing the Promise to Chula Vista. SBCS has long believed that family struggles do not remain isolated – families as a whole are affected as well as the community in which they live. That is why, it made perfect sense for SBCS to reach out to its community partners and bring the Promise to Chula Vista families. Chula Vista Promise Neighborhoods was one of seven awarded the 2012 Promise Neighborhood implementation grant fund. Together, CVPromise partners are moving the dial and making the promise a reality.

Castle Park Community. CVPromise’s target neighborhood of Castle Park covers 33 census blocks and has a population of 6,744. It is characterized by high rates of poverty, low English language proficiency and lack of early learning supports. About 67% of adults do not have their high school diploma and 52% of households do not have an adult employed full time. A Chula Vista Elementary School District report shows that almost 25% of students in the area are obese. Almost two-thirds of families receive some type of assistance and six out of 10 children qualify for publicly funded health insurance. CVPromise supports Castle Park Elementary, Castle Park Middle School, Castle Park High School and Hilltop Middle School and Hilltop High School.

Partners Make the Promise: The comprehensive plan brings together a collaboration of partners – 28 local government agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses –who have signed on to provide over $33 million in matching funds, making the total investment of over $60 million. CVPromise partners have developed an impressive plan for a seamless continuum of ‘cradle to career’ solutions that will create high expectations for all children and provide a clear and viable pathway to college and career success.

To learn more about U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhood’s 2012 Grant Awards please click HERE

For a copy of South Bay Community Services Narrative click HERE and for Comments & Scores click HERE