Children, Youth, & Families Working Group (CYF)

>About the group (.pdf) To join CYF or learn more, e-mail Erica Pressman.

From WG Daily:

Uniting grantmakers who invest in our region's families; introducing members to policymakers; strengthening knowledge; serving as the hub for grantmakers seeking collegial and collaborative relationships.

Co-Chairs:
Mary Mulcay, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
Julia Baer Cooper, Philanthropic Advisor—England Family Foundation, Lehrman Foundation and Prince Charitable Trusts

Here's what the Children, Youth, and Families Working Group has been working on this year...

Out-of-School Time
The working group remains focused on fostering its relationship with the DC Public Schools around after-school and summer programming. Earlier this year, the group met with Dr. Carey Wright, DCPS Deputy Chief of Teaching and Learning, and Lisa Lazarus, Manager of Strategic Policy and Implementation, about the Office of Out-of-School Time’s current activities and strategies.

In April, the group met with newly appointed Director of the Office of Out-of-School Time Kathy Lally to hear about her vision and plans.

Juvenile Justice

Meeting with DYRS Director

CYF members met with the new interim director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), Marc Schindler. Schindler and colleagues provided an update on the status of the Lead Entities Project, a public-private partnership that involves several CYF members as well as other community funders. The project is an initiative in which youth committed to DYRS are provided services by both the nonprofit and other sub-contracted providers based on needs identified by DYRS relative to the homes of the youth’s parents or guardians.

Testimony

WG was asked to provide testimony at the DYRS budget hearing in April in support of the reform efforts underway. Mary Hallisy (Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust) spoke on behalf of the working group. She shared her thoughts and formal testimony on Washington Grantmakers Daily. Read them here.