Chesterfield Named One of 100 Best Communities for Young People

America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth today announced that Chesterfield County is a winner of a first-ever national competition to identify 100 Best Communities for Young People. The winning communities – ranging from small towns to urban neighborhoods across America – are being celebrated for their commitment to provide healthy, safe and caring environments for young people.

Chesterfield County was selected for its work in a wide range of programs and services for youths from birth to age 21, including those provided by Youth Planning and Development, Parks and Recreation, Health, Libraries, Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Sheriff, Schools, Social Services, Mental Health Support Services, Juvenile Detention Home, Human Resource Management and others.

A complete list of winners can be found at www.americaspromise.org. Members of America’s Promise Alliance — including United Way of America, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Junior Achievement and the YMCA and many others — took leading roles in the 100 Best competition. 100 Best Communities for Young People was launched in partnership with Capital One Financial Corporation.

America’s Promise Founding Chairman General Colin Powell launched the competition in May and Chesterfield County applied for a place on the prestigious list. Chesterfield County and the other winners were chosen by a distinguished selection panel of civic, business and nonprofit leaders, including United Way of America President Brian Gallagher, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. and former Denver mayor Wellington Webb.

The selection panel evaluated 100 Best entries that required detailed information about each community’s efforts to fulfill five essential promises critical to the well-being of young people: caring adults who are actively involved in their lives; safe places in which to learn and grow; a healthy start toward adulthood; an effective education that builds marketable skills; and opportunities to help others.

“We have had an amazing response from hundreds of communities, large and small, from Alaska to Florida,” said Marguerite W. Sallee, President and CEO of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth. “Our purpose for launching this competition is to appeal to America’s competitive spirit to encourage communities to become great places to grow up. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, we have seen some inspiring examples of what can happen when communities across the country pull together to help people in times of urgent need. In the 100 Best communities, we have witnessed that same spirit at work in making the well-being of their children an urgent priority. Their outstanding efforts – to measure how well their children and youth are doing, to put more resources in place, and to form cross-sector partnerships – provide shining examples of what it means to keep America’s Promise for our young people.”

“As a teacher and father of five,” said Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chairman Edward B. Barber, “I have always known that Chesterfield is a great place to raise our children. This designation simply confirms and supports my belief in our community.”

“Caring for children is the cornerstone of any community. This designation confirms what we have all known for years. Chesterfield is a strong community in which to raise a family, and that is reflected in how we provide for our youth.”

“It is wonderful to learn first-hand how outstanding communities are making a difference in people’s lives – especially their young people,” said Brian Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of America. “We are committed to helping communities across America follow the examples provided by winning communities and adopt similar programs that will help our nation’s young people succeed in life.”

“We are proud to be a part of this important effort to highlight the innovative efforts taking place in communities throughout the United States to create healthy and supportive environments for our children,” said Capital One’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel John Finneran. “Like America’s Promise, Capital One recognizes that helping to build strong and healthy communities – good places to do business and good places to raise families – benefits us all.”

To honor the 100 Best communities selected, the America’s Promise Alliance will hold a special event November 2nd in Washington, D.C. This celebration will be dedicated to the children affected by Hurricane Katrina, highlighting outstanding community initiatives across the country that are providing displaced children with the services and support that they need to thrive no matter where they are. All proceeds from this event will go toward helping the children impacted by Katrina.

The Alliance will also sponsor a yearlong celebration including a special day in each of the winning communities and a series of regional forums across the country that will enable communities to share their success stories and learn effective strategies from one another that will further enrich the lives of their young people.

“The applications revealed communities that care about their kids and are working together to make their futures better. We saw leaders and people genuinely engaged and full of pride in their towns. Together, they have strengthened my faith in our great country.”

For more details about the 100 Best competition and the winners, please visit www.americaspromise.org.

About America’s Promise

America’s Promise is a broad-based alliance whose members work together to ensure the well-being of children and youth. Alliance partners focus attention and resources to help every child receive the Five Promises essential to success: caring adults who are actively involved in their lives; safe places in which to learn and grow; a healthy start toward adulthood; an effective education that builds marketable skills; and opportunities to help others.

Founded by retired General Colin L. Powell, following the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in 1997, the America’s Promise Alliance includes nonprofit, corporate and community groups as well as individuals across the nation. Alma J. Powell currently serves as chair.

America’s Promise grew out of the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in 1997, where Presidents Bush, Carter, Clinton and Ford, with Nancy Reagan representing President Reagan, challenged the country to make children and youth a national priority. President George W. Bush affirmed his commitment in 2001.