Hartford Foundation Testimony In Support of SB 437, An Act Concerning A Two Generational Initiative

On Tuesday, March 13, the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving submitted testimony to the legislature's Human Services Committee in support of SB 437, An Act Concerning a Two Generational Initiative. As an active member of the statewide Two-Generational Policy Workgroup, and an early supporter of the initiative to pilot six statewide two-generational school readiness and workforce development projects, the Foundation supported this effort to strengthen the state’s role as a national leader in the effort to develop two-generation models to address challenges faced by low-income adults with young children. The Foundation offered its support of the proposed legislation’s inclusion of a mechanism to ensure that local voices from those receiving two-generation resources have an opportunity to contribute to efforts to improve and expand this effort in Connecticut. The Foundation credited the legislation for recognizing the value of developing partnerships with national funders but strongly recommended also working closely with state and regional funders that can not only offer resources and expertise but can also prove valuable in connecting with national funders. In closing, the Foundation expressed the hope that this proposal and other ongoing two-generation work will help to encourage state agencies working with Connecticut families to embrace the two-generation framework as a means to create equitable opportunities for all families with young children. 

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Testimony Regarding Senate Bill 437, An Act Concerning ATwo-Generational Initiative
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Human Services Committee
March 13, 2017

Good afternoon Senator Moore, Senator Markley, Representative Abercrombie, Representative Case and distinguished members of the Human Services Committee. The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is grateful for this opportunity to testify in support of S.B. 437, An Act Concerning A Two-Generational Initiative.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region.  We are the largest community foundation in Connecticut, and among the largest 20 community foundations in the country.  With a mission to put philanthropy into action to promote equitable opportunity for all residents in our region, the Foundation has long prioritized high-quality early childhood programs and system building based on research that confirms that investing in early childhood drives children’s success in school and life, and is an effective strategy to promote economic growth.  Since 1987, we have invested more than $40 million in early childhood in the Greater Hartford area, primarily through the Brighter Futures Initiative and the Hartford Area Child Care Collaborative.  In 2017, the Foundation awarded grants totaling $34.5 million, with nearly $1.8 million dedicated to early childhood system building in our region and statewide. 

All of the Foundation’s early childhood work is based on the understanding of the role families play in the healthy development of young children. Two-generation models recognize that the well-being and life success of parents and children are interdependent. With 80,000 low-income families with children under age 8, and approximately 80% of those families without a parent holding at least an Associate’s Degree, two-generational models are critical to moving families out of poverty, increasing school success for low-income children, and giving more parents the opportunity to learn the skills they need to qualify for jobs that earn sustainable wages.

For more than 20 years the Hartford Foundation has supported Hartford’s six Brighter Futures Family Centers that have been designed to meet neighborhood families' specific needs and interests, and foster young children's success in school and beyond in a nurturing and supportive environment. Numerous community, municipal and state organizations provide programs in partnership with the Family Centers, increasing the range and accessibility of services for Hartford families. These centers have worked to integrate two-generation (and multi-generation, including grandparents) approaches in their programming recognizing the value in using this framework in lifting up families with young children.

As an active member of the statewide Two-Generational Policy Workgroup, and an early supporter of the initiative to pilot six statewide two-generational school readiness and workforce development projects, we thank the legislature for its support of a two-generation policy that can strengthen families, and in turn, improve Connecticut’s economy, safety and overall quality of life.  This proposal would strengthen the state’s role as a national leader in the effort to develop two-generation models to address challenges faced by low-income adults with young children.

The Hartford Foundation has been providing financial support for the Hartford Two Generation project to develop two-generation hub sites in Hartford and East Hartford. Under the leadership of Move Up! A Partnership of Adult Learning, multiple regional organizations are working in partnership to develop a comprehensive and coordinated system to support parents with young children. We appreciate S.B. 437 including a mechanism for ensuring that local voices from those receiving two-generation resources have an opportunity to contribute to efforts to improve and expand this effort in Connecticut.

The Foundation is pleased that S.B. 437 recognizes the value of developing partnerships with national funders but would strongly recommend also working closely with state and regional funders that can not only offer resources and expertise but can also prove valuable in connecting with national funders. The Hartford Foundation is proud to be among the state and national funders for the National Conference of State Legislature’s six-state launch of a two-gen effort to collaborate on identifying program and policy alignment opportunities at the local, state and federal level to improve employment equity and economic stability for low-income parents. This effort supports state-driven policies and systems alignment that improves access to and success in education, training and employment for parents. 

We are hopeful that this legislation and other ongoing two-generation work will help to encourage state agencies working with Connecticut families to embrace the two-generation framework as a means to create equitable opportunities for all families with young children.

Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony.