A  baby can fill us with a sense of promise and hope. The moment a child is placed in our arms we know we will never be the same. As care givers we’re sure that we’ll do everything possible to ensure that this child has the very best start in life.

Success By 6® believes that children are our most valuable resource. Ensuring that children, birth to six years old, have a good start will increase the chances that each child will become a healthy and productive member of society. Success by 6® is a community-wide initiative that brings together resources from all sectors to make early childhood development a top priority in Volusia and Flagler Counties.

It is true that today’s children, and their families, face an alarming level of obstacles:

• The Florida Abuse Hotline received 7395 calls in Volusia and Flagler Counties for fiscal year 2000 – 2001.

• 35% of Florida’s three to five year olds were not enrolled in nursery school or kindergarten.

• 25% of Florida’s two year olds were not immunized.

• 23% of Florida’s children live in low-income households without health insurance.

• 31 of every 1000 teen-age girls, between the ages of 15 and 17, gave birth.

(* data: KIDS COUNT data book online, www.aecf.org/kidscount/kc2002/)

(**data:www5.myflorida.com/cf_web/myflorida2/healthhuman/childabuse/pubs.html)

Success By 6® is committed to not letting the shortcomings of today’s society define our next generation. A community that nurtures and prepares its children for life is a successful community.

 As a United Way early-childhood initiative, Success By 6® brings together community leaders and creates partnership that consist of businesses, government, religious groups, educators, health and human service agencies, neighbors and parents.

Success By 6® began in 1988 as a child development initiative in Minneapolis and began growing nationwide in 1989. Today, there are more than 300 United Way Success By 6® initiatives across the country. Each initiative has found its own unique way to mobilize their community to ensure that all children, by the age of six, have the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life.

Dr. Pam Patrick, a prominent area psychologist, is the volunteer Chair for Success By 6® of Volusia and Flagler Counties. Dr. Patrick works with community leaders in several areas: awareness of the importance of early childhood development and education, improving children’s access to critical human services and advocating a pro-children public policy.

Success By 6® does not provide services or compete for service dollars with other providers. Instead, Success By 6® coordinates community assets, supports high standards for service and measures outcomes. It is a community action-planning process that focuses on early childhood development.

If you, your business or organization would like to become a part of Success By 6®, please call Renee Gay, Director of Community Investments, 386.253.0563, ext. 248.

Return to top of the page