Getting Ready to Roll the Harlem Children's Zone in 20 American "Project Neighborhoods"

There are many things that President Obama would love for his birthday. Peace in the Middle East and a great education are only two items on his wish list. Yes, let's put an economic recovery at the top of the list.

Sunday's Washington Post did an in-depth feature on the Geoffrey Canada's nonprofit Harlem Children's Zone, previously featured on MIchelle-Style. Prince Harry also visited the neighborhood family mentoring project on his recent visit to New York.

Harlem Children's Zone kidsPresident Obama sees the Harlem Children's Zone as a model for other American cities -- 20 to be exact. The initiative is called "Project Neighborhoods".

We learn in the WaPo article, that Harlem Children's Zone is far more than a school. Writer Robin Shulman decribes it as a 'conveyor belt' concept.

There are asthma prevention plans and fresh produce deliveries; dental, medical and psychiatric care; after-school arts and music; tenant-ownership schemes and early childhood education; tae kwan do and dance, weight training and sports; and foster care prevention and charter schools. It adds up to about 20 programs using more than 1,500 staff members and reaching about 8,200 young people out of 11,300 in the zone. The cost is about $5,000 per child, and Canada raises much of his $70 million budget privately; it has been difficult during the economic downturn -- he was forced to lay off 10 percent of his staff.

Students at Harlem Children's Zone

This 'preventive medicine' to early-on family intervention is not supported by many people, who believe in self-reliance and individual responsibility. Supporters of the Harlem Children's Zone can make their case in purely pragmatic, financial terms in the coming years.

Harlem Children's Zone's founder Geoffrey CanadaThe Harlem Children's Zone initiative isn't only about raising happy kids with brighter futures. I believe that Geoffrey Canada wants to make the case that over time, the cost of this kind of initial investment for services and mentoring will save taxpayer dollars, while creating a healthier, more disciplined, talented and focused American society, one that faces stiff competition from developing countries in the coming years. Anne

More Reading:

The Harlem Children's Zone Eliminates Racial Achievement Gap

Prince Harry Will Visit Harlem Children's Zone Before Joining the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Classic, to Raise Money for Sentebale