www.bushwickimpact.org

History

Bushwick IMPACT grew from an Agenda for Children Tomorrow Initiative. Agenda for Children Tomorrow (ACT), a public/private partnership formed in 1989, mobilizes neighborhood residents, political leaders, service providers, and policymakers across New York City to improve conditions for children and families in challenging city neighborhoods.

In 2002, ACT became one of the lead partners in United Way of New York City’s Early Learning Project, an initiative to strengthen New York City’s infrastructure for early care and education. ACT spearheaded a series of focus groups, town meetings and over 500 surveys to parents and child care providers, sparking the inception of a “parent access point” to increase parents’ access to quality early care and education services.

In 2003, after extensive research and collaboration with child advocates, city agencies, community-based organizations and parents, ACT designed an innovative neighborhood-based model to provide information, referrals, and advocacy, all focused on early childhood and related services and resources.

In Bushwick, ACT partnered with an established early education coalition, creating a Local Design Team (LDT) to help conceptualize and oversee the Project’s development. Phase I of Bushwick IMPACT was launched in February 2005 with the development of a Parent Advocate corps, neighborhood parents trained to provide peer support, outreach, information and referrals to their counterparts.

In November 2005, IMPACT (Informing More Parents Across the Community Together) opened its welcoming, family-friendly storefront to the Bushwick community. Today, IMPACT’s 12 person team includes six Parent Advocates, working to implement four program components: Family Literacy, Leadership Development, Child Development Supports, and Family Supports. The Local Design Team, now representing some 55 organizations involved in Bushwick early care and education services, meets quarterly, to increase information flows, exchange resources, and keep IMPACT responsive to community interests.