St. Croix Foundation Releases the 2021 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
(TEL) 340.773.9898, (EMAIL) staff@STXFOUNDATION.ORG

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands – St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) is pleased to announce the release of the 2021 KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book on December 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM AST during a Virtual Community Stakeholder Presentation that is 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 presentation on the 15th, SCF’s KIDS COUNT Team will provide an overview of the 2021 Data Book to Government Partners and Community Stakeholders. The 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book comprehensively reports on 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 participants. Parents, educators, nonprofit organizations, policy makers, and public administrators are likely to find the information in this year’s Data Book to be useful. Interested parties may register for the Presentation at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qc-yopj0pE9MQpJnL5GuvsXcFpF3lhjm3. There is no cost to attend and all are welcome.

The KIDS COUNT Data Book includes data for the years 2017 through 2020, 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 the often-overlooked subpopulation of our children: adolescents.

President and CEO of St. Croix Foundation, Deanna James, stated: ”From the outset of this work, the Foundation has been affirmed in our belief that data is just the beginning. What our community does with the data is the real task before us. As the territory continues to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic, concurrent with a protracted hurricane recovery, our KIDS COUNT USVI Team believes that, collectively, community stakeholders can seize the opportunity to address the inequities that persist in the lives of children and families.”

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and its many local partners from the public, private and civic sectors for their collaboration and commitment to children and families in the Virgin Islands. The Foundation also thanks GlobalGiving for its generous, unwavering support of its work. Questions about the initiative should be directed to President Deanna James of St. Croix Foundation at 340.773.9898 or staff@stxfoundation.org.

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ABOUT ST. CROIX FOUNDATION

Established in 1990, the Foundation has served as a conduit for over 42 million dollars in funding for community-based projects throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands. St. Croix Foundation has a track record of leading impactful community development initiatives and has received national and international recognition for its work in education reform, small business development, and community revitalization. Today, the Foundation is focused on energy independence, workforce development, education, youth and families, and providing support and capacity building for nonprofit organizations through fiscal sponsorship, grantmaking, and the Nonprofit Consortium.