Making the Connection

I started off my day with a meeting of 200 local professionals who came to hear Bill Millett, a national speaker, talk about the impact of the investment in early childhood programs. Specifically, the long term return for communities when they focus work on children before the child ever reaches school. As I gave the opening comments, I said that "the decisions that are made today impact lives 20 years down the road."

A couple of hours later, dressed in my flannel jeans, long underwear and a Detroit Lions hat, I joined one of United Way's associates -- Bill Sullivan--on a project he was working on: interviewing the homeless in the tri-county area on the barriers they face. It was one of those days that never saw the thermometer hit higher than a single digit. As we traversed through the central business district of Detroit on foot, we met up with Roderick walking along the sidewalk.

Of his 44 years on earth, 35 of them have been homeless. Roderick didn't complete 10th grade. He had employment on and off over his life. He had family in the area, but not much contact with them. His warn face and hands spoke to someone who looked 20 years older. He lives off of small government support.

Is there a connection between 200 professionals gathering to figure out how this region puts more attention on early childhood development and Roderick. You bet.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again. There is a cost not only to Roderick, but to society for not having him with permanent housing and employment. So when we say that every dollar put in early childhood development saves $17 at the other end, this is in part what we mean. When research shows us that a child not reading at grade level by age three gives them nearly a 90% chance of NOT graduating, the consequences of that gap has a human toll.

These topics of Early Childhood Education and Homelessness can often seem abstract and not real. The things others discuss, others experience and others must solve. But the fact of the matter is the issues are real and the responsibility for solving rests with all of us.

This day, for me, was a stark reminder of how so much of what we all do is connected. At times though, we don't always see the links.

Click here to learn more about early childhood work in the region and the personal reflections of United Way associates who have interviewed over 60 homeless individuals in the region.

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