A children’s group defends its efforts

To the Editor:

In Pablo Eisenberg’s recent review of President Bill Clinton’s new book, Giving (“Bill Clinton’s Book on Giving Misses Key Issues,” Opinion, September 20), the author notes that the former president encourages everyone at the end of the book to give as much as they can.

The author describes how Mr. Clinton expounds upon the virtues of many notable charities, but cautions that the former president should have undertaken more analysis when including America’s Promise in the litany. According to Mr. Eisenberg, America’s Promise “has been one of the most ineffectual nonprofit organizations in the last decade.”

The America’s Promise Alliance was formed with the goal of building strong partnerships that would collectively make accessible to the nation’s young people the support they need to succeed.

The alliance is now the largest collaboration of corporations, nonprofit service providers, foundations, policy makers, advocacy organizations, and faith groups working collectively on behalf of the nation’s most underserved youth.

It is true that there are few organizations that come on the scene with greater fanfare and support than did America’s Promise, with the founding leadership of General Colin Powell in active partnership with Presidents Clinton, Bush, Carter, and Ford, and Nancy Reagan representing President Reagan.

It is also clear that the alliance’s first decade has been filled with challenges and triumphs, but through both we have learned a great deal and emerged a stronger, more focused organization, one that is better prepared to improve the lives of young people.

One of the most important lessons that the alliance has learned, and is now putting into practice, is ensuring that our partner organizations do in fact lead the charge; identify the key actions to take; and use the alliance as a vehicle to raise awareness, mobilize advocacy, and catalyze collective action on behalf of the nation’s youth.

It is with this wisdom and the counsel and support of our partners we’ve launched our most ambitious campaign to date to help 15 million disadvantaged youths over the next five years.

A key component of this campaign will be to raise awareness of and promote action around dealing with our nation’s drop-out crisis.

With more than one million youth dropping out of school every year, we no longer have a problem, we have a crisis.

Our goals are ambitious, but we cannot afford not to aim high. And with the power of our 145 organizations coming together every day to help our children, we know that we are making a difference.

Marguerite W. Kondracke
Chief Executive Officer
America’s Promise Alliance
Alexandria, Va.