Strategies:

⇒; Engage other members of the community to serve as Volunteers and Mentors who work with the children and provide them additional support.

⇒ Increase Parental Engagement with their children. The parent is the first role model the child is around since birth.

Children's Initiative Launch Report

Children's Initiative White Paper

The Yes we can... Read® East San José Children’s Initiative was launched on June 19, 2009, and cohosted by Grail Family Services, and the office of Councilmember Nora Campos of San José. Unlike other programs, this Children's Initiative seeks to mobilize the entire community by creating long-term changes in attitudes held by its residents, businesses, local non profit organizations, local government, and other stakeholders as to what a community can do to embrace change.

Our vision: Through a coordinated volunteer and mentorship effort, an increase in parent engagement, and an organization advocacy team, children can find themselves looking towards a brighter future filled with success.

The initiative is founded on the belief that a collaborative effort of talented people from diverse backgrounds in the community will embrace and ultimately make the needed changes for their children’s futures. This initiative is based on the belief that the families living in this community, with the support of other stakeholders, can and will do what is needed to make this change.

If you find it difficult to accept that a high percentage of our children are not reading at grade level by third grade and you want to be part of an initiative designed to close the achievevement gap, we encourage you to get involved in a project that will develop community-based solutions to improve student achievement. Please contact Veronica Goei for more information at (408) 347 7892 or via email at vgoei@gfsfamilyservices.org.