Monday, February 16, 2009

Using Maps to Leave No Tutor/Mentor Program Behind

Last Thursday I posted a map that Mike Traken of the Tutor/Mentor Connection created, showing the distribution of $217,000 in grants to volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in Chicago by the SunTimes Marovitz Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth Program.

Over the weekend Mike wrote a blog post showing the 2008 and 2007 distribution of Lend A Hand Grants, and doing an analysis to help all donors innovate strategies that not only provide continued funding to many programs, but also expand the range of funding, so a larger percent of all of the volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in the city are getting the operating dollars they need on a continuing basis.

A week earlier Mike had written an article showing how businesses, faith groups, hospitals and universities in the 9th Legislative District of the Illinois Legislature could be working together to fuel the growth of tutor/mentor programs in that district.

Wouldn't it be great if the newspapers were writing articles about collaborations such as this, instead of articles about graft and corruption among state and local elected representatives?

1 comment:

Evelyn Van Til, CEC said...

What a great question! If you believe that you get more of what you focus on, then wouldn't it indeed be great to change the focus and tone of the media?