About Massachusetts Promise

Massachusetts Promise actively engages citizens, corporations, organizations, and communities to improve the lives of children by guaranteeing access to the five fundamental resources necessary to become a productive and healthy adult - a relationship with a caring adult, a safe place to spend out-of-school hours, a healthy start, marketable skills, and an opportunity to give back to the community.

To achieve these goals, oversight agencies for the 'fundamental five' mobilize community activity, facilitating partnerships to expand basic resources for youth; educate the public on the value of citizen service and volunteerism on behalf of youth; and garner the necessary resources to accomplish the state's goals.

Through these activities, Massachusetts Promise forges new partnerships, builds upon existing infrastructure, brings a renewed energy to community mobilization, and ensures that the young people of Massachusetts have access to the fundamental resources necessary to become healthy, successful, and productive adults.

Our History

Inspired by the call to action made by General Colin Powell and the five living U.S. Presidents at the Presidents' Summit on America's Future in April 1997, Governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci and U.S. Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry convened the Massachusetts Summit: The Promise of Our Youth.  This daylong event was coordinated by the Massachusetts Service Alliance and co-chaired by J. Donald Monan, SJ, and Bill Cosby on October 26, 1997.

This summit was the catalytic event that inspired private and public sector leaders, community organizations, and individuals from across the Commonwealth to make a difference in the lives of every child, and subsequently in the health and well being of every community in Massachusetts.

A steering committee, five task forces, and a committee were created to focus on fulfilling the state's commitments to the five fundamental resources and on building the necessary infrastructure.  In total, more than 250 individuals - citizens, students, and leaders from business, government, communities, nonprofits, academia, and faith communities - were invited to craft and implement a strategy to achieve the state's commitments.  This coalition developed specific action plans detailing the initiatives and funding required to allow all sectors of the community to effectively participate in this campaign.  The action plan was ratified by the delegates of the Massachusetts Summit and are now the blueprint for Massachusetts Promise: An Alliance for Children and Youth.