St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) is pleased to announce a transformative investment in St. Croix’s rich cultural landscape from the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place program. The $1 Million grant award will support St. Croix Foundation’s Healing Humanities Initiative, a visionary effort that goes beyond traditional regranting and infrastructure development to actively restore, amplify, and mobilize the humanities as a vehicle for healing and social transformation.

The Mellon Foundation’s award will fuel two significant aspects of the Healing Humanities project:

1. A Half-Million Dollar Regranting Program for Local Nonprofits – Over half a million dollars will be awarded to nonprofit organizations engaged in cultural place-keeping, arts, and humanities projects, allowing St. Croix Foundation to deepen our investment in preserving and celebrating our rich Crucian history, traditions and visions. The grant cycle is set to open in March 2025, providing funding opportunities for eligible nonprofits working to strengthen the cultural fabric of our community.
2. The Revitalization of Sunday Market Square & the Alexander Theater – The historic Alexander Theater, a long-dormant community space, is set to become a 22,000+ square-foot performing arts and cultural center, serving as a hub for artistic expression, storytelling, and heritage preservation, while also functioning as a community disaster shelter. The current phase of work is focused on architectural and engineering design, ensuring that the new spaces reflect the unique cultural heritage of St. Croix while addressing community needs. To that end, the Mellon funding will support a portion of the Theater and Acoustic Design, as well as Archival Research, Historic Analysis, Curation of Oral Histories, Community Engagement, and Exhibit Design and Planning for Sunday Market Square’s transformation.

“We are incredibly grateful for the Mellon Foundation’s commitment to supporting our rich Crucian cultural landscape,” said Deanna James, President & CEO of St. Croix Foundation. “This investment is a powerful and timely affirmation of the vital work that St. Croix Foundation and our longstanding partners in the arts, culture, and preservation space are doing to safeguard our community’s history and build a more resilient and inclusive future.”

Nonprofits interested in applying for the upcoming grant cycle should contact Paloma McGregor at pmcgregor@stxfoundation.org for more information.

For updates on the upcoming Healing Humanities grant cycle and the progress of the Sunday Market Square revitalization, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/STXFoundation.

About St. Croix Foundation for Community Development

Founded in 1990, St. Croix Foundation is a place-based philanthropic organization committed to holistic community development. As a trusted fiscal sponsor, grantmaker, and community convener, SCF has directed over $50 million in investments into the U.S. Virgin Islands, focusing on community revitalization, nonprofit capacity building, education, economic development, and cultural preservation.

About the Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.

About Sunday Market Square’s Healing Humanities Initiative

Sunday Market Square holds deep cultural significance. As one of the oldest planned public squares under the U.S. flag, the Square is located in downtown Christiansted and represents a unique history linked to Denmark’s colonization on the island of St. Croix from 1733 to 1917. Serving as a center for trading among enslaved Crucians, the Square was a designated convening space where enslaved Africans and free Blacks were permitted to sell produce, trade goods, connect with loved ones, and socialize in the marketplace on some Sundays – their only day off from forced labor. While it remained a popular gathering spot for residents through the 1900s, after several decades of neglect, coupled with the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the Square fell into disrepair.

ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I., July 24, 2024 – St. Croix Foundation is excited to announce that $22,000 in scholarships were awarded to six St. Croix youth on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, during a virtual presentation at St. Croix Foundation (SCF), headquartered in Sunday Market Square. Scholarships were made possible through the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund, the St. Croix Educational Complex 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund, and the Foundation Scholars Fund.

2024 Scholarship Recipients:

Patrick & Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund

• One (1) $4,000 Competitive Scholarship to 2024 Graduate of St. Croix Educational Complex:
  • Jahnaiy Rodriguez, studying Physical Therapy at Florida A & M University
• Three (3) $4,000 Invitation-Only Scholarships to rising seniors:
  • Abigail Valery, studying Music Education at Temple University
  • Sanaa Burke, studying Meteorology at University of Delaware
  • Caliyah Helliger, studying Biology at Howard University

St. Croix Educational Complex (SCEC) 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund

• One (1) $5,000 Competitive Scholarship:
  • Ryan Ferdinand, Jr., studying Biomedical Engineering at Villanova University
• One (1) $1,000 Scholarship for 2023 recipient:
  • Jayden Ferdinand, studying Psychology at Penn State University

Virtual Awards Ceremony Highlights

During the virtual awards ceremony, recipients shared their heartfelt gratitude:

• “I don’t think I would’ve been able to actually make it through college without your support. It means a lot to know that there are people back home outside of my family that actually care and they’re like I’m willing to instill in you, I am willing to invest in you, because I believe you have potential.” – Sanaa Burke
• “Thank you for your support, I couldn’t be able to chase my dreams of earning a doctorate degree in physical therapy without your aid. It not only means a lot to me, it means a lot to my family.” – Jahnaiy Rodriguez
• “A special thank you to the Committee for selecting me as a recipient of this scholarship; it’s a testament to all of my hard work and years of education, and I am extremely honored to receive it. I am committed to making the most of this opportunity.” – Ryan Ferdinand, Jr.
• “You guys are amazing. A blessing to the community, and I don’t know- more needs to go out about what you are doing.” – Mother of Ryan & Jayden Ferdinand

The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund was established by Junior Gaspard in honor of his grandparents, aiming to support youth who have met obstacles but persevere despite challenges. To date, the fund has awarded $84,000 to 15 young people. Junior Gaspard expressed his pride, saying, “We are incredibly proud to support these outstanding students who have demonstrated remarkable perseverance throughout their college journey. Watching them leave St. Croix for a new environment, settle into their lives as college students, and then perform at such a high level academically and socially over the last three years has been truly inspiring.”

The SCEC 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund, established by the SCEC’s 2003 alum, has awarded a total of $11,000 to two young scholars in its two years of operation. Anquanette Gaspard, sister to Junior Gaspard, established the fund to increase support for St. Croix youth and encourage giving back to the next generation.

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to the Gaspard family, the St. Croix Educational Complex 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee, and the Foundation’s Grants & Scholarships Review Committee for their partnership and philanthropic spirit. The Foundation welcomes donations to these funds to support additional students as they pursue their education.

For more information on how to support these special funds or details on the application process for future scholarships, please visit the Foundation online at www.stxfoundation.org or call 340-773-9898.

St. CROIX, U.S.V.I., May 17, 2024 – St. Croix Foundation is pleased to announce two competitive scholarship opportunities for 2024 St. Croix graduates through the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund and the St. Croix Educational Complex (SCEC) 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund. A minimum of one scholarship of up to $5,000 will be awarded from the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund to a graduating senior from a St. Croix public high school; the SCEC 20th Anniversary Reunion Fund will award a minimum of one scholarship, not to exceed $5000, to a graduate of the St. Croix Educational Complex. The Foundation will begin accepting applications for both Funds on May 17, 2024, and the application deadline is June 14, 2024.

Open to 2024 graduates from the St. Croix Educational Complex, the SCEC 20th Anniversary Reunion
Fund requires that all applicants provide proof of acceptance to an accredited college or university and indicate and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund is open to all public high school 2024 graduates who must also indicate acceptance to an accredited institute of higher learning and maintain a GPA of 2.0 and higher. All applicants will be asked to submit a 500-word essay describing a time they met and overcame an obstacle, as well as a video presentation describing their educational goals. Applications will be reviewed by the St. Croix Foundation Grants Review Committee and must be received no later than June 14, 2024.

The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund was established by Junior Gaspard, a graduate of Central High School and John H. Woodson Junior High School, in honor of his grandparents. Gaspard recalls the hard work and determination embodied in his grandfather’s spirit when he moved the entire family to St. Croix from St. Vincent. This, combined with his grandmother’s resilience as she courageously contended with the loss of her eyesight, provided a road map to overcoming challenges with strength and perseverance. St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) administers the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund to provide opportunities to youth who have met obstacles but persevere despite these challenges and see education as a means to achieving personal and professional success that can then be shared with the next generation.

Upholding the spirit of the Williams Opportunity Fund, Anquanette Gaspard, sister to Junior Gaspard and granddaughter of Patrick and Amelia Williams, also recognized an opportunity to increase support for St. Croix youth and established the St. Croix Educational Complex 20th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund together with the SCEC’s 2003 alum to encourage giving back to the next generation of young people.

Application Process. To apply, interested students should visit the Foundation’s website at https://www.stxfoundation.org/grants-scholarships/ where Application Guidelines can be found. All applications are due by June 14, 2024. Applicants will be informed of decisions by July 3, 2024.

All scholarship recipients are required to report on their successes and challenges throughout the year to help ensure that the Fund continues to meet current needs and to provide students with additional support if needed. If challenges or questions arise regarding completing the application and/or obtaining required documents, staff is available to assist at lcox@stxfoundation.org and/or ajohnson@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix Foundation wishes to extend its sincerest appreciation to the Advisors and Donors of the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund and St. Croix Educational Complex 20^th Anniversary Reunion Committee Fund and the class of 2003, who are strategically giving back to the next generation. For more information about how to support these special funds, please visit the Foundation online at www.stxfoundation.org or call 340.773.9898.

ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation is pleased to offer a minimum of three scholarships between $500 and $5,000 each to 2024 graduating seniors on St. Croix through the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund. The Foundation will begin accepting applications for the 2024 Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund beginning May 15, 2024, and the deadline to apply is June 14, 2024.

Open to 2024 graduates from St. Croix public, private, or parochial schools, the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund requires that applicants be pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Applicants must provide proof of acceptance to an accredited four-year college or university to study and must indicate and maintain a GPA of 2.75 or higher. Applications will be reviewed by the St. Croix Foundation Grants Review Committee and must be received no later than June 14.

The Lang-Wise STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Scholarship Fund was established in the fall of 2022 at St. Croix Foundation by St. Croix resident and engineer Raydiance Wise. Recognizing that scholarships help to cover significant costs associated with higher education, this award is designed to encourage students to pursue STEM-related fields of study by offsetting expenses related to travel, clothing, textbooks, and other expenses that become burdensome. The Fund supports graduating seniors from public, private, or parochial schools on the island of St. Croix.

In its first official cycle, the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund awarded $13,500 to five St. Croix youth studying nursing, physics, computer science, biology and cyber security at institutions including Howard University, Northeastern University, Texas State University, University of Tampa and Nova Southeastern University.

Application Process. To apply, interested students should visit the Foundation’s website at https://www.stxfoundation.org/grants-scholarships/ where Application Guidelines can be found. All applications are due June 14. Applicants will be informed of decisions by July 3rd. All scholarship recipients are required to report on their successes and challenges throughout the year to help ensure that the Fund continues to meet current needs and to provide students with additional support if needed. If challenges or questions arise regarding completing the application and/or obtaining required documents, staff is available to assist at ajohnson@stxfoundation.org or lcox@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix Foundation wishes to extend its sincerest appreciation the Lang-Wise family, who is strategically and intentionally supporting our young people. For more information about how to support the Lang-Wise STEM Scholarship Fund, please visit the Foundation online at www.stxfoundation.org or call at 340.773.9898.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, May 2, 2024 – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development’s (SCF) KIDS COUNT USVI Team hosted its first KIDS COUNT USVI Summit April 16-17, 2024, on St. Croix at The Grange Event Center near Anna’s Hope. 

Entitled Answering the Call: We are the System and the Solution, the event was held in partnership with the Office of the Governor and convened a carefully curated cohort of key stakeholders from the public, private, and civic sectors who directly impact KIDS COUNT USVI.  Despite the dismal trends reported in the 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book, the Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Team believes that the size of the Territory, and even our status, may represent untapped opportunities to do things differently: to make radical and rapid strides in the area of child well-being.

The ultimate goal of the Summit was to fulfill the KIDS COUNT USVI Team’s pledge to activate the data published in the annual Data Book by creating a safe space for key stakeholders to cultivate relationships across sectors and, in turn, co-create new, cohesive systems of support for our Territory’s children.

The Summit was facilitated by internationally renowned systems change expert and founder of The Outside, Tuesday Rivera, who has led numerous communities through the deliberative and collaborative process of co-designing new ways of “doing” and “being,” which lead to radical systems change.  A session was also led by Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen, formerly of Grantmakers for Education and author of The Future of Smart, who offered a compelling perspective on the American educational system, calling for a human-centered approach that is adaptive to children’s needs and assets as social beings and is less linear and mechanistic than traditional methods.

Some notable highlights from the two-day convening included an early morning serenade from the youth choir of the St. Croix Seventh Day Adventist School as well as a powerful video presentation entitled “Sankofa,” which is an African word that translates to ‘go back and fetch it.’ The video offered a reflective snapshot of the story of the Territory’s children from the Pre-colonial Period to the Present, highlighting the evolution of the Territory’s enslaved population from the 18^th Century. As outlined in “Slave Demography of the Danish West Indian Islands” by Hans Christian Johansen, St. Croix’s enslaved population in the early 1800s topped out at 27,006 relative to significantly lower numbers on St. Thomas and St. John at 5,737 and 2,492, respectively (The Scandinavian History Review Incorporating Economy and History, v.29:1, 1981.) Another compelling data point from the past included the fact that in Earle B. Ottley’s, Trials and Triumphs, The Long Road to a Middle Class Society in the U.S. Virgin Islands, from 1903 to 1915, up to three-quarters of children born in the Virgin Islands died, indicating how much progress the U.S. Virgin Islands has made over time.

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “There are really no words to articulate how both transformational and inspirational the Summit was. Over the course of the Foundation’s 33 years of service, we have hosted a significant number of gatherings. But this meeting was different. In fact, we made a bold decision to frame the summit as a Village Council Meeting, with guests representing not just executives, lawmakers, and leaders, but also Griots, Elders, and Allies – all armed with a multitude of tools, deep wisdom, and hopefully, the will to solve the complex social problems confronting our Children… together!”

From start to finish, the Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Team sought to demonstrate to Summit participants that change doesn’t have to be legislated by policy. In truth, communities can spur radical systems change through a single collective decision – made by just a few – to change their behavior. The Summit also highlighted the issue of Spirituality as a critical component of child well-being with an inspirational “Grounding Ceremony” from Tahirah AbuBakr, a member of the St. Croix Council of Elders who challenged attendees to remember the central role that Elders have played in ancestral societies relative to transferring wisdom, spirituality, and historical cultural values to youth.

The KIDS COUNT USVI Data Researcher and Designer, Laurence Blake, remarked “The summit ignited hope and purpose within our team. Witnessing stakeholders unite to address child well-being challenges was inspiring. Facilitators like Tuesday Rivera and Dr. Ulcca Joshi Hansen showcased new pathways for change. The event fostered collaboration and innovation, empowering us to transcend boundaries and prioritize children’s welfare.”

From the beginning of their stewardship of KIDS COUNT in the USVI, St. Croix Foundation committed to moving beyond rote data collection. The 2024 KIDS COUNT USVI Summit intentionally made space for the collaboration necessary for systems change. Linda Stamper-Keularts, Director of Advancement at Good Hope Country Day School, spoke on the outcomes of the Summit, stating, “Attending the KIDS COUNT Summit was an enlightening experience that truly underscored the importance of collaborative action in tackling the multifaceted challenges faced by our youth.  The Summit brought together a diverse range of nonprofit organizations and GVI agencies from various sectors, fostering rich discussions, new relationships, and innovative solutions to address issues confronting our youth. Good Hope Country Day School is feeling empowered and motivated to continue to advocate for the well-being of our youth.”

In her framing remarks at the start of the Summit, Foundation CEO James outlined what she hoped attendees would walk away from the gathering having learned: THAT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING! She closed by stating, “What the Foundation has come to learn, is that Change, real sustained Change, isn’t often an outgrowth of a comprehensive, well-framed strategic plan or policy agenda, but in some ways (in fact, in many ways), it’s electrified, very simply, by People fused in courageously cultivated Relationships committed to solving big problems – not alone, not siloed, not solo, but together! Cultivating those relationships is the real challenge and an important, often undervalued, under-prioritized factor in systems change.”

An electronic copy of the 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book is available at https://stxfoundation.info/2023KIDSCOUNTUSVIDataBook.

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development would like to thank the Office of the Governor and Policy Advisor on Workforce Development and Education, Sana Joseph Smith, The Grange Event Center owners and staff, caterers Common Sense and A Matter of Taste, as well as contributors to the Summit’s “Sankofa” Video Presentation, Dr. Lucy Jackson, Neejay Canton, and Dejalys Delgado. St. Croix Foundation also extends its sincere appreciation to local private sector supporters, including Tropical Shipping, DIAM Management, Seven Seas Water Group, Global Asset Management, and TEAM Consultants, along with all other sponsors of the Foundation’s Annual Fundraiser, which supports all of the Foundation’s year-round programming, including KIDS COUNT USVI.

For more information about KIDS COUNT USVI or any resources at the 2024 KIDS COUNT Summit, please visit https://www.stxfoundation.org/kids-count-usvi/. Questions about KIDS COUNT USVI should be directed to President Deanna James of St. Croix Foundation at 340.773.9898 or DJames@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) is pleased to announce the release of the territory’s 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book, entitled “A CALL TO ACTION: Sounding the Alarm on Child Well-being in the U.S. Virgin Islands.” The Data Book was presented to a broad range of community stakeholders on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at 10:00 AM AST during a Virtual Community Stakeholder Presentation open to the public.

A national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), KIDS COUNT© has evolved into one of the largest, long-standing data repositories in the United States focused on the status of children and families. A national network of nonprofits, foundations, and consortia from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, KIDS COUNT is seen as a vital means of providing critical data about child well-being for many federal, state, and local government agencies.

During the virtual data presentation on December 19th, SCF’s KIDS COUNT Team provided an overview of the 2023 USVI Data Book to Government and Nonprofit Partners and Community Stakeholders. The Data Book comprehensively reports on the status of U.S. Virgin Islands youth in four primary domains: Family and Community, Education, Health, and Economic Well-being. Additionally, KIDS COUNT USVI includes spotlights on Opportunity Youth (ages 16-24) and Community Bright Spots, which incorporates the territory’s nonprofit sector as a vital component of the USVI’s system of supports for children.

An electronic copy of the 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book is available at https://stxfoundation.info/2023KIDSCOUNTUSVIDataBook. Interested parties may also watch a recording of the Community Presentation at https://stxfoundation.info/KIDSCOUNTUSVI_2023Presentation. Additionally, physical copies of the 2023 Data Book may be requested by reaching out to the Foundation directly at jlawrence@stxfoundation.org or calling 340.773.9898.

The 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book includes data collected from the most current available data sources from the public and civic (nonprofit) sector throughout the territory, reporting on conditions across all ages of childhood. As part of St. Croix Foundation’s strategy, this year’s data book again targets “Opportunity Youth” (youth ages 16-24 who are not in school and not working). Hot Spots surrounding this age group include an increase in violent crimes

committed, from 198 in 2021 to 243 in 2022 – an increase of 22.7%. Still, youth employment and internship opportunities increased. According to the Department of Labor, its employment programs aimed at opportunity youth had increased enrollment in 2022, with 895 total participants across its three youth-focused programs, an increase from 837 participants in 2021.

For children of all ages, some of the data is urgent and consequential to the future of the U.S. Virgin Islands: 33% of children in the USVI are living in poverty. Among children five years of age and younger, poverty rates are higher across the territory: on the island of St. Croix, the poverty rate for children under five is 42%.

But there are also tangible Bright Spots throughout the territory. Civic organizations such as My Brothers Workshop, Caribbean Center for Boys and Girls of the VI, Women’s Coalition of St. Croix, St. Thomas East End Medical Center, and many more agencies such as the VI Department of Labor and Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation are transforming the lives of youth in our community each day. In fact, many agencies reported a higher demand for their services. For example, the Family Resource Center on St. Thomas served 379 minors in 2022, a large increase compared to the 222 served in 2021.

Also reported in the Data Book: In School Year 2021-2022, academic assessment scores among the USVI’s student population have declined significantly after the 2019 hurricanes and COVID-19. 95% of 7th graders were Not Proficient in Math and 84% were Not Proficient in English Language Arts. Among 11th graders this trend continues with 70.6% as Not Proficient in English Language Arts; and 95% as Not Proficient in Math. Yet, there are also Bright Spots: The graduation rate for the 2021-2022 school year was 74.4%, the highest percentage since the 2016-2017 school year.

There are also important Bright Spots for our community around health that may also serve as models for our territory and the nation. As stated in the 2023 USVI Data Book, “According to the US Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, the USVI reported the highest breastfeeding percentage rate (including fully and partially breastfed infants) of all WIC State agencies at 70.9% in fiscal year 2021 (October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021). The nationally leading breastfeeding rate enabled the USVI to blunt the impacts of the national baby formula shortages experienced in 2022. The USVI WIC program’s efforts in promoting and providing resources for mothers allowed for sufficient stock of infant formula even as shortages were prevalent nationwide. The USVI WIC staff conducted targeted outreach to achieve the high levels of breastfeeding, including Zoom classes, nutrition training, providing funds for purchases directly from local farmer’s markets, and doing community outreach at public housing facilities in both districts.”

In the domain of health, a worrying Hot Spot is child maltreatment. In 2022, there was a 39% increase in cases of reported child maltreatment from 2021. This increase is particularly striking as child maltreatment had been decreasing each year from a high of 420 cases in 2019 down to 208 in 2021.

According to Dr. Saul Santiago, Principal Investigator and Data Analyst of KIDS COUNT USVI, “We have compiled, analyzed, and reported up-to-date and comprehensive information, including charts and visualizations, over the last three years on child well-being in the US Virgin Islands. The startling trends found in the extensive data sets of our USVI KIDS COUNT Data Books must serve as a call to action for all stakeholders to work together and ensure a brighter future for our territory.”

A central data point that frames all other data in the 2023 Data Book is the overarching age of the territorial population: Since 2000, the number of children in the USVI has decreased by half according to the 2020 Census. At the same time, the Virgin Islands has become the most rapidly aging population in the United States, with a median age of 45.9 years compared to the national median age of 38.8 years old. As births have decreased and young people have left the island, all age groups under 40 experienced a decline in population between 2010 and 2020, creating an alarming trend that has far-reaching implications for every aspect of the Virgin Island’s future, from workforce development to healthcare and education. The 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book also urges greater commitment to “systems-thinking” in order to foster collaboration across sectors and connect seemingly disparate data domains so that the Virgin Islands can, more effectively identify and address urgent issues through data-driven policy, programs, and services.

St. Croix Foundation President and CEO of St. Croix Foundation, Deanna James, posed several pointed questions to stakeholders, namely: “Have we, as a territory, upheld our social contracts with children over the course of time? And, most importantly, as we face the reality that our community is growing older and our child population is evaporating, who are we building for? And, what if we were heading toward a future without children?” In the 2023 Data Book’s Welcome Section, James stated that, “While (the Foundation) has tried to maintain neutrality in our storytelling and data sharing, this year’s datasets have felt like a blaring S.O.S. requiring deeper interrogation, context, and decisive action. Intentionally, the image for our 2023 cover, courtesy of David Berg, depicts a child in shadows, on a beach in Frederiksted, blowing a conch shell – symbolism meant to both sound an alarm and issue a call to order.”

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to the Annie E. Casey Foundation for supporting child well-being in the U.S. Virgin Islands through KIDS COUNT©, and to its many local and national partners who support this work including Seven Seas Water Group, TEAM Consultants, OCWEN Services, Tropical Shipping, and GAM Software. Special acknowledgement also goes to the Foundation’s public and civic sector Data Partners for their collaboration and commitment to children and families in the Virgin Islands. Questions about the initiative should be directed to President Deanna James of St. Croix Foundation at 340.773.9898 or DJames@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) announces the release of the 2023 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book, “A Call to Action,” on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023, at 10:00 AM AST during a Virtual Community Stakeholder Presentation.

A national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), KIDS COUNT© has evolved into one of the largest, long-standing data repositories in the United States focused on the status of children and families.  A national network of nonprofits, foundations, and consortia from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, KIDS COUNT is seen as a vital means of providing critical data about child well-being for many federal, state, and local government agencies.

During the virtual presentation on December 19^th, SCF’s KIDS COUNT USVI Team will provide an overview of the 2023 USVI Data Book to Government Partners, Nonprofit Civic Organizations, Policymakers, and Community Stakeholders. The 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book comprehensively reports on the status of U.S. Virgin Islands youth in four primary domains (Family and Community, Education, Health, and Economic Well-being).  An electronic copy of the Data Book will be distributed to all registered participants and physical copies will be available to interested parties post-release.  Parents, educators, nonprofit organizations, policy makers, and
public administrators are likely to find the information in this year’s Data Book particularly useful.

Interested parties may register for the Virtual Presentation at: https://stxfoundation.info/2023KIDSCOUNTUSVI. There is no cost to attend.

The KIDS COUNT Data Book includes data collected from the most current available data sources (including Governmental as well as Nonprofit) throughout the Territory.  One targeted population that the KIDS COUNT Team seeks to highlight is an often-overlooked subpopulation of our children – Opportunity Youth between the ages of 16-24.

According to President and CEO of St. Croix Foundation, Deanna James: “This year’s Data Book is one of the most consequential publications that St. Croix Foundation has released to date. And, all community stakeholders, public policy officials, political aspirants, and parents, are urged to take time out of their busy schedules to attend. While there are encouraging Bright Spots that are highlighted in our 2023 Data Book, alarming Hotspots demand the attention of everyone in our community who provides services to children, has children, or has uttered the phrase ‘our children are our future’.”

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and to its many local and national partners who support this work including Seven Seas Water Group, TEAM Consultants, OCWEN Services, Tropical Shipping, and GAM Software. Special acknowledgment also goes to the Foundation’s public and civic sector Data Partners for their collaboration and commitment to children and families in the Virgin Islands.  Questions about the initiative should be directed to President Deanna James of St. Croix Foundation at 340.773.9898 or DJames@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development is excited to announce that Top Chef contender Tiffany Derry will return to the U.S. Virgin Islands to serve as this year’s Wine in the Warehouse celebrity chef.  Wine in the Warehouse, one of the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience(FWE)’s most popular events, will be held at Bohlke International Aviation on Friday, December 8, 2023 from 6:00-9:00 PM.

Derry emerged into the national spotlight when she appeared on season 7 of Bravo’s Top Chef, where she finished in the top four and earned the title of “fan favorite”, going on to compete on Top Chef: All Stars. Her warm southern charm and culinary expertise led to more television appearances on shows such as Chopped, Chopped Kids, The Great American Recipe, Beat Bobby Flay, Tournament of Champions, and more. Derry currently runs two restaurants through her company T2D Concepts, including Roots Chicken Shack and Roots Southern Table, which was a 2022 James Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant. According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “We are so excited to welcome this renowned chef and restaurateur back to St. Croix and into the folds of the Foundation’s family.” James continued, “Tiffany Derry is not only an exceptional chef, but she’s also a fierce advocate for social justice, equity, and food access. Her focus on celebrating her roots and bringing communities together through food makes her an inspiring collaborator for the work we do at the Foundation. In fact, each year, we have grown increasingly committed to ensuring that our fundraiser, our programming, and our partnerships, are intentionally aligned with our mission and our vision for the future of our Community. We simply couldn’t think of a more perfect celebrity chef to join us this year than Tiffany!”Tickets for the event are $150 per person and are available for purchase now at http://www.stxfoodandwine.com.

St. Croix Foundation would like to extend its deepest appreciation to  early sponsors VI Lottery, Bohlke International Aviation, CC1, Crucian Point, The Buccaneer Resort, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, Bank of St. Croix, Marshall & Sterling, and the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority. SCF also invites additional corporate and individual citizens to become event partners and sponsors. For more information on how to become a sponsor, please contact 340-773-9898 or email lcox@stxfoundation.org.

For information about tickets, events, and sponsorship visit http://www.stxfoodandwine.com or call the St. Croix Foundation office at 340-773-9898.

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development is pleased to announce the return of the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience (FEW)! This beloved celebration of the cuisine of St. Croix is back for 2023 with one of the FWE’s most popular events, Wine in the Warehouse, at Bohlke International Aviation on Friday, December 8, 2023 from 6:00-9:00 PM.

Featuring delectable food from some of St. Croix’s best chefs and caterers, complemented by fine spirits from Coca Cola 1 (CC1) – all set against the sleek backdrop of live music and Bohlke International Aviation’s fleet of jets – Wine in the Warehouse is the perfect way to ring in the holidays.

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “We are excited to bring back this beloved community event as a means of raising funds to support the Foundation’s comprehensive community development initiatives.” James continued, “St. Croix Foundation is Your Community Foundation! And, as we prepare to lead some of the most deeply impactful work in our organization’s history, the revenue generated from Wine in the Warehouse will be leveraged many times over and reinvested back into the community to advance the Foundation’s mission around territory-wide social, economic, and educational transformation.”

Tickets for the event are $150 per person and are available for purchase beginning on Friday, September 15, 2023 at http://www.stxfoodandwine.com.

St. Croix Foundation would like to extend its deepest appreciation to  early sponsors Bohlke International Aviation, CC1, and Crucian Point. SCF also invites additional corporate and individual citizens to become event partners and sponsors. For more information on how to become a sponsor, please contact 340-773-9898 or email lcox@stxfoundation.org.

For information about tickets, events, and sponsorship visit http://www.stxfoodandwine.com or call the St. Croix Foundation office at 340-773-9898.