Investments. In light of our current economic challenges, that word has taken on a negative connotation. These days, fewer people are focusing on the future, because it’s all they can do to make ends meet right now.

But if we want to make sure that our children don’t have to face this same kind of financial tragedy when they grow up, we need to invest now – in them.

The economic difficulties in Michigan have been devastating for many people, but none more so than our children. A report recently released by Kids Count in Michigan paints a stark picture of the future that many of our children face. Here are some troubling statistics for Berrien County:

In 2005, 27.2% of children under age 18 were living in poverty.
In 2006, 37% of the children born were born to mothers who received less than adequate prenatal care.
In 2007, 32.3% of children were on the Family Independence Program (cash assistance).
In 2007, 19.7% of children were confirmed victims of abuse or neglect.

And all of these numbers have been steadily increasing over the last several years.

But there can be a light at the end of the tunnel, if we as a community are willing to work together. This means sometimes blurring the lines between organizations and agencies to collaborate around common goals. It means looking at the challenges that we’re facing and evaluating whether current programs and services are meeting those needs. It means letting go of territorialism and realizing that failing to act now won’t just hurt our children, but the children of many generations to come.

We need to start looking at our children as an investment. The time, money, and resources we put into them and their families now won’t reap immediate rewards, but the long-term potential is staggering. Studies have proven this.

One such study is the High/Scope Perry Preschool study conducted in Ypsilanti in the early 1960s, which offered high-quality services to 140 black children. The two-year cost per child was about $15,000. But the study found that, 40 years later, the economic return on that investment was about $244,000 per child.

We need to embrace this example, and others like it, if we ever hope to make a real, positive change in Berrien County. It is our social responsibility to build physically and emotionally healthy children, who have the proper educational and social skills, because these children are our future. We can turn a blind eye as families in our community struggle, but understand that doing so will be at our own peril.

The fact is that for every dollar invested in high-quality, comprehensive programs that support children and their families from birth, there is a $7-$10 return to society in decreased need for special education services, higher graduation and employment rates, less crime, less use of the public welfare system, and better health. And as I look ahead to the future of my own children, I believe that’s an investment worth making.

Rachel Wade, Director
Great Start Collaborative of Berrien County