Mission Promise Neighborhood

MPN staff celebrated the Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Mission Economic Development Agency building, Plaza Adelante. Families received turkeys and pumpkin pies to kick off the holiday season, continuing a cherished tradition that brings the community together. The next MPN event is the Annual Holiday Book Giveaway, to be held at César Chávez Elementary School on Dec. 12. This event celebrates the joy of reading by providing free books to children and fostering a love of learning. #PromiseNeighborhood #MissionDistrict #Community

Yesterday, the Mission Promise Neighborhood Early Learning Action Team held its last meeting of the year to create a plan to support children and families transitioning from early childhood programs to San Francisco Unified School District schools in 2025. The plan includes workshops for families, a family portfolio, and connections with schools and kindergarten teachers to ensure a strong start for children. Thank you to our amazing partners (listed below),?Celina Castro-Saelao and?Ana Gonzalez, for convening partners and facilitating productive meetings in 2024! Good Samaritan Family Resource Center Mission Economic Development Agency Felton Institute Homeless Prenatal Program Tandem, Partners in Early Learning Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco Birth Companions Community Center (BCCC)

NeighborWorks America has just released a series of case studies highlighting organizations across the country working on “fostering stronger, more equitable communities through resident-driven, place-based strategies.” ?? Read case study (page 20): https://lnkd.in/grSsTZxg Mission Economic Development Agency and Mission Promise Neighborhood are grateful to NeighborWorks for supporting our work and developing this case study, which will be shared nationally to benefit the field. MPN’s case study is showcasing the work of the Community Report Card and is titled “Community-Led Solutions Aim to Measure Systemic Barriers.” The Community Report Card design team, composed of parents, youth, and staff, worked together for three years to develop a process and a tool that has achieved the following results: - Advocacy for resident-led design has led to the development of a better way to understand and respond to community experiences. - By valuing and nurturing safe spaces for sharing information, MPN’s design team fostered the trust that allowed community members to engage. - The app development prioritized accessibility and transparency, facilitating community healing and strengthening support networks. Liz Cortez, Vice President of Collective Impact at MEDA, said, "the process of building deep relationships and partnering with community members for three years was transformational. I’m excited to see how the data we collect helps to drive a policy agenda to change the systems that are not working for families.” We would like to thank the parents, youth, and staff who invested so much in the Community Report Card. MEDA Staff that participated- Ana Avilez, Promise City Program Associate Michelle Reiss-Top, Director of Digital Integration Susana Gil-Duran, Family & Youth Engagement Specialist Alejandro Bautista Zugaide, MPN Family Success Coach Liz Cortez, Vice President of Collective Impact #CommunityDevelopment #Equity

Save the Date! Mission Promise Neighborhood is excited to join The EdRedesign Lab for the kickoff of their 2024-25 Virtual Learning Series! ?? Tuesday, Dec. 3rd, 2:30 p.m. EST Learn from Celina Castro-Saelao, our Director of MPN Partnerships, and EdRedesign, as they share insights from the Family Success Coach model and the case study, “When Families Thrive, Children Succeed.” ?? Register today: https://lnkd.in/dyXFKAg9 #FamilySuccess #PromiseNeighborhood

?? Student Spotlight: From Mission High School to Capitol Hill We're thrilled to spotlight Janessa Reyes, a Mission High School graduate and current College Connect student making waves in Washington D.C. Now a sophomore at University of California, Berkeley, Janessa serves as a Congressional Intern at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) on Capitol Hill. "Being in D.C. and working in the place where legislation that impacts our everyday lives is created has been incredible," Janessa shares. "Being in such a bustling environment and connecting with many young professionals has been empowering and has jump-started my network and professional development." What makes us especially proud is how Janessa uses her position to advocate for her community. One of her proudest moments was successfully encouraging her team to support protection for Southeast Asian refugees from deportation – a perfect example of turning opportunity into impact. Throughout her journey, Janessa has remained connected to Mission Graduates through our Near-Peer Mentoring, which supports students throughout their college years. "Mission Graduates has been there for me for every single step of my academic and professional journey," she reflects. Special shoutout to Grethel Escobedo and our College Connect team for keeping Janessa grounded during her time away from home! Her D.C. experience has shaped her vision for the future, guided by three powerful insights: ?? "Don't make a career of your North Star" ?? "Be the representation you wish you had" ?? "Who are you, and so what?" While developing crucial professional skills like formal legislative reporting and constituent communication, Janessa is also discovering her passion for public service. As a sophomore, she's keeping her options open, but one thing is clear: she's committed to making a difference. Janessa's journey from Mission High School to Capitol Hill exemplifies Mission Graduates' vision for our students. Her story shows what's possible when young people are given the opportunities and ongoing support to pursue their dreams. We're incredibly proud to be part of Janessa's journey and can't wait to see what this inspiring young leader accomplishes next! ?? #StudentSuccess #FutureLeaders #MissionGraduates #PublicService #Education #Leadership #CollegeSuccess

Celebrating our ECE REACH 2024 Pre-Apprenticeship Graduates! Felton Institute is thrilled to share a video from our recent ECE REACH graduation, where we honored and celebrated the achievements of our 3rd cohort! These dedicated Latina educators have completed a rigorous journey, developing the skills, knowledge, and passion to begin their careers as early childhood educators. As they step forward, they carry with them not only their own dreams but also the collective spirit, strength and cultural assets of our Latino community. Their hard work and commitment to ALL children and families will make a lasting impact, and we couldn’t be prouder to support their journey. A huge shout out and appreciation to my colleagues Gigi Munoz, M A Felton Institute for partnering with me to lead this work and intentional groundbreaking effort. Aaron Korngiebel at Foothill College, Lygia Stebbing at EDvance College and Ernesto Martinez at Mission Economic Development Agency for their unwavering support and partnership in our vision to launch the ECE REACH pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship program. Congratulations to each graduate—your dedication to ECE inspires us all. To learn more about our program check out our website; https://lnkd.in/dnupTvwq https://lnkd.in/gHmY5wyG #ECEREACH #Graduation #EarlyChildhoodEducation #CommunityLeadership #Congratulations

?? Highlights from the CPNN San Diego Convening! ?? A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us in San Diego last month! The energy, collaboration, and strategic insights shared were inspiring. Together, we’re driving powerful change for our communities. Here’s what we achieved: ?? Key Takeaways: - ROI & Evaluation: Deep dives into ROI discussions and our evaluation plan set the foundation for measurable impact. - Best Practices Exchange: Our Gallery Walk brought communities together to explore high-impact strategies, sparking new ideas and collaborations. - Chronic Absenteeism Solutions: SBCS San Diego's successes taught us effective approaches to reduce absenteeism—a lesson we’re excited to bring to our communities. ?? What’s Next: - Communities are now implementing actionable commitments and sharing progress. - Our Factor Analysis Tool will guide us in evaluating effectiveness. Thank you, Dr. Iris Zu?iga and Karina Favela-Barreras from Amanecer Community Counseling, for leading us forward with purpose and clarity. Let’s keep moving the needle, together! ???? ?? What was your biggest takeaway from the convening? Let us know in the comments below and let’s keep the conversation going! #CPNN #CommunityImpact #PromiseNeighborhoods #EducationEquity #ChronicAbsenteeism

Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco?will hold our Board of Education Candidate Forum: Ensure excellence for a democratic institution on Friday, November 1st, at 6 p.m.? -Sign up at [email protected] #ourchildren #ourschools

An executive director with roots in the Mission returns home to serve community with heart and soul. *Gracias a Sarah Deragon for the fotos!

Congratulations to the graduates of the ECE REACH pre-apprenticeship program! ?? Your dedication is shaping a more inclusive and culturally responsive early childhood education system. We thank MPN partner Felton Institute for spearheading this initiative, in collaboration with Mission Economic Development Agency Workforce Development program, Foothill College and EDvance College. The ECE REACH program is designed to create a lasting impact in our communities. #ECE #CollectiveImpact #PromiseNeighborhoods