Catholic Charities has partnered with Dr. Daryl Gross, Athletic Director of Syracuse University, to create an ambitious plan targeting Syracuse inner-city children and teens in a three-pronged
"Kids WIN!" strategy:

• to develop healthy habits in nutrition
  and fitness,
• to master literacy and scholastic achievement,
• and to engage in regular community service.

This initiative will provide crucial after-school and summertime continuity for school-based public programs with similar goals.

Kids Win! will provide children and youth with ongoing reinforcement of these goals through fun, positive choices, exciting opportunities, and input with real impact.

In the immediate short term, we begin by involving S.U. coaches and teams with the city's childrenand youth through our six Catholic Charities Neighborhood Centers, to help motivate children to engage and stick with the project goals. The larger concept will bring in proactive partners from the many communities in Syracuse committed to childhood success in key areas: literacy, education, structured experiential learning, child and adolescent health and well-being, family involvement, life work and careers, and the ethic of mindful service.

The "Kids Win!" initiative is purposefully broad, to provide both children and mentors with a number of "portals" -- choices of where and how to start as they come into the project. Program design will actively integrate activities over time so that all participating children and teens will work with and benefit from all three aspects of the project. Participating youngsters also will have opportunities to work with professionals to design some project activities, and older youth will be given the skills to mentor younger children.

New Energy for Literacy and Service
Catholic Charities Neighborhood Youth Centers have in place trained staff and active programs promoting literacy, academics, and community service. The "Kids Win!" initiative will bring infectious excitement, motivation, fresh ideas, and -- literally, every year -- a new team to sustain a child's enthusiasm and participation in these programs. The involvement of Syracuse University athletes and coaches will help to make existing programs more effective, as they bring a new vitality, different experiences, and inspiring role models to participating neighborhood children and youth.

New Focus on Health and Fitness
The multi-year, multi-site "Kids Win!" program will generate sustainable, high-visibility focus on health and wellness, nutrition, and fitness for the city's children, teens, and their families. This is a new component to Catholic Charities programming for children and youth, spurred by the serious triple-whammy threat of childhood poverty, uneven nutrition, and poor fitness that threatens the future of so many youngsters. The shocking increase in childhood obesity, especially among people and families living in poverty, demands social as well as political solutions. Year-round activities at Catholic Charities facilities will be complemented by public education and direct community outreach efforts, to intentionally include families and neighbors in what is happening at the Neighborhood Centers.