2014 Neighborhood Revitalization Conference: Research and the Well-Being of Families in Tough Neighborhoods

The 2014 Neighborhood Revitalization Conference is July 24-25 in Washington, DC. With sessions designed to address some of the most complex challenges in place-based revitalization, the conference is a unique opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, private sector leaders and funders to network and explore together how to tackle the most pressing concerns in our communities.

One challenge that many communities face is how ensure the healthy development and well-being of children and families living in our nation’s most distressed neighborhoods. During the conference, participants will have the opportunity to hear from Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard, who will share research that explores how to best support children and families faced with adversity. Though research suggests that early adverse experience – such as poverty and parental substance abuse – can negatively impact brain development, research also tells us that early interventions and caring relationships can reverse the impact of these negative early experiences. As a result, it is important to consider how policies and programs provide support for both children and parents.

Want to learn more about Dr. Shonkoff and the Harvard Center on the Developing Child? Check out the Frontiers of Innovation initiative, as well as their research on how early experience impact brain architecture.

Want to know more about conference sessions? Check out our previous post - the Promise of Promise Zones - that highlights the conference session designed to explore how the Promise Zones strategy is being implemented across the country. Don’t forget to register for the 2014 Neighborhood Revitalization Conference. We look forward to seeing you in July!