Rewriting the Story: Celebrating 2024's Progress Toward Lasting Change

December 15, 2024 - The Poughkeepsie Children's Cabinet has released its 2024 End of Year Report, documenting a transformative year of building infrastructure, deepening partnerships, and expanding opportunities for the city's youth and families.

The cover image of the end of year report.

In her message, Executive Director Jill Gomez draws a parallel between Poughkeepsie's holiday lights and the community's young people: "Individually, a light can serve as a beacon and a bright spot in the dark – but only collectively, when each light is welcomed and fostered, does the full beauty emerge. At the Children's Cabinet, we are thinking each day about how to create a culture of excellence and celebration."

The year brought significant milestones. The Cabinet joined the prestigious StriveTogether network of 72 communities nationwide, gaining access to national best practices and policy advocacy resources. Twenty-one youth leaders participated in the Poughkeepsie Board of Artistic Youth (PK BAY) initiative, conducting groundbreaking research on barriers to after-school participation that engaged over 80 of their peers. Their collective work culminated in "Portal," a community-designed sculpture now installed at Pulaski Park, and presentations to both City Council and the Board of Education.

Among the year's most significant achievements was Poughkeepsie's selection as one of just 13 communities nationwide to receive the Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant, the first New York State recipient in over a decade. This federal recognition reflects the deep collaborative spirit that has become Poughkeepsie's hallmark in transforming neighborhoods surrounding the Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall Terrace developments.

The report also highlights a 110% increase in early childhood care spots from 2020 to 2023 (from 455 to 956 slots), the implementation of shared quality standards through the Youth Program Quality Initiative across nine youth-serving organizations, and the launch of a comprehensive Community Dashboard making crucial data about youth outcomes publicly accessible.

Read the complete 2024 End of Year Report below to explore how collaborative action is building pathways to success for every child in Poughkeepsie, from cradle to career.