Hayward Promise Neighborhoods
The Hayward Promise Neighborhoods (HPNs) is a collaborative partnership working to
alleviate poverty and ensure educational success and a safe, healthy and thriving
community for all Hayward residents. Part of the national Promise Neighborhood
Initiative, HPNs' goal over the next five years is to lift up two designated Promise
Neighborhoods in Hayward so that all children, families and community members have
access to equitable opportunities along the cradle to career continuum of services and supports.
Modeled on New York’s successful Harlem Children’s Zone, HPNs employs a place-based “collective impact” approach. As children move through the education pipeline, they participate in evidence-based academic activities tailored to their specific learning needs. The initiative emphasizes closing gaps and strengthening support during key educational transitions. Research has shown that such transitions--from preschool to kindergarten, middle school to high school and high school to post-secondary institutions—are where many children and youth fall through the cracks. While students
receive support, their families participate in evidence-based activities to boost each family’s economic stability and involvement in the overall community’s social-emotional wellbeing, health and safety.
Cal State East Bay spearheads the HPNs collaborative as the lead or “backbone” agency. The 11 partners include local schools, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses: