Locally based organization nominated for global award to be announced in Davos
January 9, 2024
CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati nonprofit leader, StriveTogether President and CEO Jennifer Blatz, will participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week. There, Blatz will represent StriveTogether and the Cradle to Career Network, which have been named a finalist for the 2024 Schwab Foundation Social Innovation Awards. Winners will be announced in Davos on Tuesday, January 16.
The Schwab Foundation is the foremost global community of pioneering social innovators driving systemic change. Award finalists, from 18 different countries, are tackling social issues ranging from economic mobility and youth empowerment to health care and clean energy.
“They are showcasing through their systemic approaches that change towards a better future is not only possible — it is already underway,” the Schwab Foundation shared. StriveTogether was nominated in the awards’ Collective Social Innovation category, the only U.S. organization to receive this honor.
“StriveTogether and the Cradle to Career Network are proving what’s possible when we transform systems to get better results for children and families. Innovation across the country is putting more young people on a path to economic mobility,” Blatz said. “I’m honored to represent this work on a global stage.”
At Davos, Blatz will present about StriveTogether’s work and speak at a Schwab Foundation community session focused on driving dialogue and action. Throughout the week, she’ll connect with other global leaders pioneering social change.
Headquartered in Cincinnati, StriveTogether supports network member communities to build civic infrastructure — a collective accountability for eliminating disparities and creating opportunities. Civic infrastructure ensures that every child is supported to thrive through equitable access to education, employment, health care, housing and more.
Economic mobility in the United States is declining. According to Opportunity Insights, only half of children grow up to earn more than their parents — and for young people experiencing poverty and young people of color, these outcomes are often worse. Members of StriveTogether’s national network focus on improving the critical cradle-to-career outcomes that lead to economic mobility.
“We believe in a world where a child’s potential isn’t dictated by race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance,” Blatz said. “We know this is possible because we’re seeing systemic change leading to better outcomes for young people across our network. Our model has the potential to achieve equitable outcomes for millions more young people in the years to come.”
About StriveTogether
StriveTogether is a national network of nearly 70 communities across 29 states and Washington, D.C. working to build a future where a child’s potential is not dictated by race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. The organization provides coaching, resources and rigorous approaches to create opportunities and eliminate inequities in education, housing and more. Together, the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network reaches 14 million youth — including 8 million children of color and one in five children experiencing poverty. For more information about StriveTogether, visit StriveTogether.org.
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Elizabeth Male