The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development released its 2021 KIDS COUNT USVI data book at a live virtual community stakeholder presentation on Wednesday.
A national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the KIDS COUNT USVI data book includes data for the years 2017 through 2020 that was collected from the most current available sources in the territory.
This includes governmental programs as well as nonprofit organizations. In the electronic copy of the book, parents, educators, nonprofit organizations, policymakers, and public administrators can find data regarding family and communities, education, health and economic well-being.
Examples of the type of information you can find in it include 12th-grade enrollment figures, public housing in the USVI, and public-school dropout rates, just to name a few.
Readers may also notice most of the graphics are taken from the U.S. Virgin Islands community. According to the St. Croix Foundation, using local pictures was important because the book applies to the territory.
President and CEO of the St. Croix Foundation, Deanna James said, “From the outset of this work, the Foundation has been affirmed in our belief that data is just the beginning. What our community does with the data is the real task before us. As the territory continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, concurrent with a protracted hurricane recovery, our KIDS COUNT USVI team believes that collectively, community stakeholders can seize the opportunity to address the inequities that persist in the lives of children and families.”
An electronic, full copy of the data book is available online. Hard copies will also be available.
“We really wanted to make sure that the document was accessible to as many people as possible, so we created a virtual/electronic version of the data book,” said James. “We hope that people take the time to look through the book to really process the information.”
James also said that the foundation is not just collectors of data, but also intends to facilitate the reactivation of that data.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do in the territory to ensure that our children are healthy, and they are whole. We have to get this right.”
The St. Croix Foundation was established in 1990 and has contributed over $42 million in funding for community-based projects throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands.
To contact the St. Croix Foundation, you can contact President Deanna James at 340-773-9898 or by email at staff@stxfoundation.org.
