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America's Promise Alliance Again Names Boys Town One of 100 Best Communities for Young People
For the second time in as many years, Boys Town is chosen as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by the America's Promise Alliance.
"Nothing is more important than seeing that our children and youth have the resources and support systems they need to thrive and succeed," said America's Promise Founding Chairman General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). "When a community provides all that its young people need to be healthy and secure, they deserve to be honored and showcased as an outstanding example of what it takes to successfully nurture this nation's young people."
America's Promise, a national alliance founded in 1997 to challenge the nation to make children and youth a national priority, honored Boys Town for its commitment to provide healthy, safe and caring environments for young people. The organization first earned the honor in 2005. Hundreds of communities representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were considered for the honor.
"Boys Town is the only village anywhere where every adult's job is to provide safety, love, care and treatment to children with high needs," said Father Steve Boes, Boys Town National Executive Director. "The Boys Town community was, is, and always will be about kids and families - helping our children succeed."
The selection panel evaluated 100 Best entries based on each community's efforts to fulfill the Five Promises - the fundamental resources our children and youth need to succeed: caring adults who are actively involved in their lives; safe places in which to learn and grow; a healthy start toward adulthood; an effective education that builds marketable skills; and opportunities to help others.
"Boys Town is receiving the 100 Best honor, in part, because it gives 'at-risk' youth a new beginning," said America's Promise officials.
Boys Town goes beyond its boundaries, exporting its programs to communities across the U.S. In the Omaha area alone, more than 90 churches, schools and community organizations conduct parenting, relationship building, and positive behavioral education programs with Boys Town expertise. The organization, with 19 sites in 14 states, duplicates its training and quality standards to create better communities, and provides direct care and treatment to more than 46,000 children through its youth care and health care programs.
Boys Town's Training Evaluation and Certification Center disseminates research-based programs to school districts and social service agencies around the country. The programs help families acquire Common Sense Parenting® techniques and show teachers better ways to manage their classrooms and youth care programs. In 2005, Boys Town's National Hotline answered nearly 500,000 calls, including more than 30,000 calls from youth where hotline staff intervened to save the caller's life or provide therapeutic counseling.
In health care, Boys Town National Research Hospital's clinical and research programs make pioneering strides in treating childhood deafness, visual impairment, and related communication disorders. The hospital annually serves more than 30,000 children from across the country.
Father Edward J. Flanagan founded Boys Town on the very principles championed by America's Promise Alliance. "I believe that the best insurance for the future of America and the American way of life lies in the adequate care of American youth," he said. "Upon the training of today's children rests the future of the American system."
That's why Boys Town will continue to strive to be one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People in America.
A complete list of the 100 Best Communities for Young People can be found at www.americaspromise.org.
