Monday, July 7, 2014
Expectations High For Harlem Children Zone's New Head
As Anne Williams-Isom begins her role as the new CE0 of the Harlem Children's Zone, funders such as the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, not only expect her to carry on the work of her predecessor Geoffrey Canada, but also to forge new directions.
"Anne's job is to take Geoff vision to the next level, and that requires a focus on execution," said Nancy Roob, chief executive of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, one of HCZ's funders. "It's not an easy job—it's a life commitment."
HCZ is no stranger to lofty ambitions. Its mission is to end poverty in Harlem. HCZ provides 28 different programs to about 25,000 people in a 97-block area in Harlem. Sixty-three percent of the children in the zone are born into poverty, and 48% of households receive food assistance....