The inaugural 2Gen Summit in Sarasota culminated today with a morning filled with knowledge sharing and collaboration.
After a welcome address from Anne Mosle, executive director of Ascend and vice president of the Aspen Institute, attendees of the Summit broke into
workshops focusing on the key elements of the two-generation approach: Education, Economic Supports, and Social Capital.
By the end of the day, it was clear that the Summit was a resounding success.
Here are our key takeaways from day two:
1. Education is the key to change.
Education is the way out of poverty. High-quality education opens the door to better job and life opportunities for children and their parents. We must focus our efforts on ensuring everyone has access to high-quality education.
“Education is the largest disruptor of poverty.”
– Dr. @WSerrata,
Pres. El Paso Community College#2gen pic.twitter.com/sK4Q1qIuC8— Literacy and Beyond (@literacy_beyond) April 6, 2016
2. Strong partnerships are crucial for 2Gen success.
We can’t do it alone. We need to work together as a community to pool our resources and expertise in order to increase our ability to help families move beyond poverty. These partnerships do not happen accidentally – we must be strategic and intentional to drive change and foster results.
“What if we all work together and we actually integrate and align our services?” asks Anne Molse in Sarasota https://t.co/ku8FbuYMBI#2Gen
— Aspen Ascend (@AspenAscend) April 6, 2016
3. Our community’s philanthropic spirit is inspiring.
The most inspiring takeaway from the Summit was the compassion of our community. It was clear from the turnout and participation in the Summit that people in our community are passionate about helping everyone achieve their full potential. We are ready to embrace big ideas and work to make them a reality.
Pledging “what’s next” for #2Gen in our community. Great ideas will turn to action! @CFSarasota @AspenAscend
— The Van Wezel PAH (@vanwezel) April 6, 2016
Thank you to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and Ascend at the Aspen Institute for giving us all this opportunity to connect with people who are so dedicated to improving the lives of both vulnerable children and their parents.
Photo credit: Community Foundation of Sarasota County
