GBR Children's Coalition History
The GBR Children's Coalition originated in August of 1990. Launched as part of a three-step children's movement, the Coalition has been responsive to an outcry for increased family support. A national study funded by the Casey Foundation placed Louisiana dead last in the well-being of youngsters in 10 categories including teen pregnancy, dropouts, and educational expenditures per pupil. The founders of the Coalition decided to promote awareness and public action. A three-step children's movement was launched in 1990.

STEP ONE: With strong support from the city, organizers called for the entire community to focus on the status of its children via a parishwide town meeting: "Child of the 90's: Foundation for our Future."

STEP TWO: The first agenda for children was compiled as a result of this public input and subsequent neighborhood talks. The top four items on the agenda included:

1. Fractured Community/Fractured Family Unit
2. Need for Truancy and Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention
3. Need for Parental Accountability and Training
4. Parishwide Family Support in Day Care and Extended Day Care Service

STEP THREE: The Coalition then fashioned a model for addressing the agenda, establishing a formal structure, and initiating partnership action. Philanthropic support from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation provided the start-up funds immediately matched by membership dues. As a result, 67 partnership initiatives were funded in years 1990 to 1994, and many more to date.

To keep the Coalition in touch and on the move for children requires constant planning with the community. In 1992, the Greater Baton Rouge Children's Coalition competed with more than 100 entities across the nation and received one of three pilot grants from the U. S. government. That grant fostered grass roots neighborhood planning and neighborhood action for youth.

As in cities nationwide, those Baton Rouge voices are today calling for more community responsibility for children, a rebuilding of neighborhoods, and the sharing of power and resources to uplift children. Their voices and agenda point to the need for the Coalition to recreate an "extended family" for kids. The Greater Baton Rouge Children's Coalition has a firm commitment to create the "family" and help each child realize full potential.