Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced New York City has been named one of the country's 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise. Founded by Ret. General Colin L. Powell, America's Promise is the nation's largest private-public partnership committed to ensuring that every child receives the fundamental resources they require to succeed.  The winners were announced this morning on Good Morning America.  More than 1,000 rural, suburban and urban communities from all 50 states participated in the competition.  New York City's application was submitted by the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the City's lead agency for youth services, and included contributions from the Department of Education, Administration for Children's Services, Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, Department of Juvenile Justice, Human Resources Administration, and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in addition to numerous foundations and community-based organizations.

"New York City is one of America's 100 Best Communities for Young People for the same reasons it is one of the world's greatest communities for people of every age - no place on earth offers its residents as many social, cultural, educational, and economic opportunities," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "We are committed to providing a brighter future for the over two million New Yorkers under the age of 18 that live in our City. This award is further evidence that we are succeeding in our efforts to strengthen, restructure, and create effective youth resources, and I thank America's Promise for recognizing New York City."

"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, US Army (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."

New York City was selected on the strength of individual programs, a commitment to collaboration, and upward trends in many children and youth outcomes indicators, especially in education.  One highlight was the Out-of-School Time initiative, which consists of 550 free programs that will serve at least 65,000 young people during the 2006- 2007 school year, making it the nation's largest municipally funded after-school initiative. The application also showcased Children First, a comprehensive school reform effort, spearheaded by the City's Department of Education, focused on creating 1,400-plus great schools, where all of the schoolchildren in New York City will be able to learn the skills and receive the support they need to realize their potential. Also featured was the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, the umbrella 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation of the City of New York that works closely with City agencies to enlist support from individuals, foundations, and corporations to aid innovative projects serving the needs of New Yorkers.

"As home to more than 30,000 non-profit organizations, New York City is unrivaled in the scope and quality of services available to our young people," said DYCD Commissioner Mullgrav.  "The 100 Best Communities for Young People award validates the hard work of all New Yorkers, including the City agencies, community organizations, and individuals who have contributed to the well-being of our young people." 

"This recognition is another testament to the strength of our great City and Mayor Bloomberg's leadership," said Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City President Megan Sheekey.  "The collaborative efforts of the City's agencies and the generous support of the private sector have paved the way for an even brighter future for our youth."

100 Best Communities for Young People was launched in 2005 by General Powell in partnership with Capital One Financial Corporation.  New York City and the other winners applied for the honor and were chosen by a distinguished selection panel of civic, business and nonprofit leaders, including United Way of America President Brian Gallagher, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue, NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and Moderator of Meet the Press Tim Russert, CEOs for Cities' President and CEO Carol Coletta, and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.

The selection panel evaluated 100 Best entries that required detailed information about 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.  A complete list of winners can be found at www.americaspromise.org