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The Allegheny County Children’s Fund will not be enacted after falling short of receiving the majority of votes during yesterday’s election. The Our kids. Our commitment. Allegheny County Children’s Fund Initiative is thankful for the community’s support and willingness to engage in conversation throughout the campaign.

“Over the past six months, we had the opportunity to meet with thousands of community members, have conversations about proven programs for kids, and raise awareness about the challenges our community is facing. In our eyes, because of all of this, our campaign was still a success for our kids,” said Patrick Dowd, executive director, Allies for Children and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative. “Our work will not stop here. We know these services are needed for our kids, and we’ll continue working together to find a solution for Allegheny County.”

The initiative was led by local organizations who are invested in the wellbeing of Allegheny County’s kids: Allies for Children, Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST), Higher Achievement, the Human Services Center Corporation, The Mentoring Partnership, Pressley Ridge, PUMP, Trying Together, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, along with numerous community-based partners.

“We are so appreciative of our entire community’s willingness to engage in conversations about our kids. This is the biggest effort I have seen to provide dedicated funding for these programs and that is certainly something to be proud of,” said Colleen Fedor, executive director of The Mentoring Partnership and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative.

In the summer, the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative collected nearly 64,000 signatures. Throughout the campaign, with help from volunteers and supporters, they knocked on more than 13,000 doors, called over 64,000 voters, hosted and attended more than 100 community events, and reached nearly 900,000 people on social media in an effort to educate voters and raise awareness about the question.

“Throughout this entire process, we have stayed focused on running a positive campaign focused on our kids,” said Dave Coplan, executive director, Human Services Center Corporation and steering committee member for the Our kids. Our commitment. Initiative. “We cannot thank our community enough for being open and willing to speak with us and have discussions about what works for kids. We are ending this campaign on a high note, but we’re certainly not finished. We have to continue working together to find the best solution for Allegheny County, so we can make sure our kids gain access to these programs.”

More information about the campaign can be found at www.ourkidsourcommitment.org.

About Our kids. Our commitment.

The Our kids. Our commitment. Allegheny County Children’s Fund Initiative is an effort to change the way Allegheny County funds programs that are proven to ensure the wellbeing of our children across the county. For more information, visit www.ourkidsourcommitment.org.