Web Resources Extended- NCBI

I have visited site for the National Black Child Development Institute (BCDI) numerous times now and have yet to explore the affiliates section, which was one of my initial reasons I chose this website; they have an affiliate close to my home.  There are 27 affiliates of the BCDI located in major cities or counties across the United States.  Of the affiliates listed, only 5 had websites specifically for their city.  Unfortunately, the affiliate near me was not one with a web site :@(.  I browsed through the Philly site (the closest affiliate to me even thought is 2.5 hrs away) and noticed they offered a lot of events for the community including cooking classes, Kwanzaa celebrations, and supports for women with breast cancer.  Meetings for this affiliate are held monthly for both members and nonmembers. 

The Philadelphia affiliate is currently focused on 2 programs; GROW Green Get Fit and Entering the College Zone (ECZ).  GROW Green Get Fit, is a program developed in conjunction with the YMCA, BCDI, and Donna Richardson-Joyner to end childhood obesity.  Through the program, children and their families learn information about healthy eating and nutrition, making healthy changes and choices in behavior, cooking healthy meals, fitness tips, and information of the effects of poor healthy including high blood pressure and diabetes.  Focusing on children, youth, and their families, this program became so successful that land was donated so that a community garden could be created where children could grow healthy fruits and veggies.

Entering the College Zone (ECZ), a program targeted to middle school students and their families, provides resources and support so that they can successfully complete the application process for college. The goal of the program is to encourage parents to participate in their child’s education, while encouraging students to plan for and succeed in obtaining higher education.  

I also visited the site for the Atlanta which had similar postings to the Philadelphia site.  The Atlanta site however, had a link labeled ADVOCACY which stood out to me.  The Atlanta affiliate works with the community specifically, young children and their families, to advocate for quality care and to enhance the quality of life.  Most notably, partnering with early childhood centers to meet NAEYC accreditation, partnering with early childhood organizations to challenge policies and laws and ECZ are the 3 largest advocate focuses. This affiliate is actively involved in making sure the voices of young children are heard.  Access to policy alerts, public forums, and registration drives are just a few of the tactics this affiliate has used to advocate for young children and their families.

After exploring both the Atlanta and the Philly Affiliate sites, the notion that it takes “a community to raise a child” really stands out.  In both cities, there are those who volunteer their time to advocate for those without a voice and who put on programs to support the educational and healthy growth and development of children and those in their communities.  Health is a huge focus in many African American communities and it is evident in the programs the affiliates and the BCDI are promoting.  Although the definition of quality varies from community to community, there is precedence that things can be better, children deserve better, and there are people fighting for that.

Resources:

National Black Child Development Institute Atlanta. n.d. Advocacy. Retrieved from http://bcdi-atl.org/advocacy/

National Black Child Development Institute Philadelphia and Vicinity.n.d.  Retrieved from http://www.bcdiphiladelphia.org/index.html