Indiana Youth Institute To Present “State of the Child” on March 1st

“State of the Child” is a series of town hall discussions, led by the staff of the Indiana Youth Institute and hosted by thought leaders in communities across the state. Photo by: story blocks“State of the Child” is a series of town hall discussions, led by the staff of the Indiana Youth Institute and hosted by thought leaders in communities across the state. Photo by: story blocks

By: Juli Metzger—

Muncie, IN—Join the Indiana Youth Institute, United Way of Delaware County and Ball State University on Friday, March 1 for “State of the Child,” a presentation of the 2019 Indiana KIDS COUNT® Data Book and a revealing look at statistics and demographics affecting Delaware County.

Best practice research on successful approaches to key issues including smoking and vaping, substance abuse, and bullying will be discussed. Hear the top challenges for kids in Indiana and what can be done to ensure all Hoosier kids thrive.

“State of the Child” is a series of town hall discussions, led by the staff of the Indiana Youth Institute and hosted by thought leaders in communities across the state. The Muncie session will be 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Ball State University Alumni Center, 2800 W. Bethel Ave., Muncie, IN.  United Way of Delaware County and Ball State University are the sponsors of the event.

The event will be live streamed on the United Way of Delaware County Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/unitedwaydelco/on the day of the event.

Youth workers, community leaders, and youth advocates are invited, as well as key stakeholders. The event is free and open to the public.

The Indiana Youth Institute is a leading advocate and voice for the state’s youth worker field. They provide innovative trainings, critical data, and capacity-building resources, aiming every effort at increasing the well-being of all children. This is the second year IYI has come to Muncie to present its report.

The United Way of Delaware County has a laser focus on ending generational poverty. Today, nearly half of Delaware County households live in poverty or are one crisis away from it. It’s often a vicious generational cycle. These working families face obstacles in reaching health, education, and financial stability. Delaware County also has the highest number of children living in poverty in the state.

To conquer generational poverty, UWDC has adopted the bold goal that by 2024 all third graders will be reading at grade level – the single greatest indicator of a child’s success in school and life.

“By providing children with the early education opportunities, we are addressing the fundamental needs to put them on a path toward success in school and life,” said Jenni Marsh, CEO of the United Way. “Thoughtful discussions of what the statistics say about our community are part of the continued education of all of us, and we’re grateful to IYI for bringing their expertise to Muncie.”