November eBlast

Pictured above: ROC the Future Alliance backbone team, parents and volunteers at Daddy Daughter Literacy Date Night.

ROC the Future Alliance November eBlast

November 26, 2025

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving from ROC the Future Alliance!

Daddy Daughter Date Night encourages Literacy

Reading proficiency has been a core priority for ROC the Future Alliance since our founding.

Establishing strong literacy and numeracy foundations in the early years is critical for kindergarten readiness. Research consistently shows that children who enter kindergarten with early reading skills and early math skills are more likely to experience long-term academic success, stronger social-emotional development, and greater confidence in the classroom. We’ve seen meaningful gains in 3rd grade literacy over time—currently at 19%, up from just 10% in 2017—and these improvements demonstrate what is possible when families, educators, and community partners work together. At the same time, we know that much more can be done.

Locally, this work directly supports our current Wildly Important Goal to increase kindergarten readiness for more children in Rochester. By strengthening the early foundations that children need before entering school, we can reduce gaps that emerge long before third grade and ensure more Rochester children start kindergarten prepared, supported, and on track for long-term success.

Read our blog

Centering Fathers through the Dad’s Café

ROC the Future Alliance in collaboration with the Greater Rochester Health Foundation (GRHF) hosted a Dad’s Café -- a space honoring and strengthening the role of fathers and male caregivers in children’s educational and social-emotional lives. The event fostered connection and reflection while uplifting fathers’ voices in shaping systems that often overlook them. Stephen Bryant from Together Now shared mental health resources, and Darrell Vickers from the University of Rochester led a vital conversation about prostate cancer awareness and screening.

See the grantee spotlight from GRHF for more.

Improving student success beyond high school

Education and community leaders from across the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network came together for the Postsecondary Outcomes Convening in Austin, Texas to learn, collaborate and take action to improve student success beyond high school.

Sara White-Smith, Director of Collective Impact, Ryan Lavoie, Continuous Improvement Strategist, and Shawanda Evans, High School Graduation Outcomes Team Cho-Chair, analyzed disaggregated data to uncover opportunity gaps, shared strategies to drive system-level change and draft actionable hypotheses connecting practice, policy and data.

This convening reminds us that supporting youth in postsecondary outcomes is about transforming systems. You can download the Postsecondary Completion Playbook and see how your organization can take the next step toward stronger postsecondary outcomes.

Post-Secondary Completion Outcomes Playbook

ROC the Day with ROC the Future Alliance

On December 2, the Greater Rochester community will come together to ROC the Day and we need YOU to join us.

It’s 24 hours of unprecedented community giving. And it’s your chance to make a real difference right here in the Greater Rochester region.

ROC the Future Alliance is a community-wide coalition working together to ensure academic success for every child. Your gift can help us more students on a path to upward mobility.

Join us in supporting our community and ROC the Day on December 2.

ROC the Day with us!

Free meals this holiday season

Many partners have come together to make it possible for all families to have food this holiday season. We can't overstate the importance of addressing both the symptoms and root causes of food insecurity.

See this list of holiday meals and food pantries available in November and December.

Click here for food assistance in Foodlink’s 10-county service area.

Learn more

Purchase your tickets to the 13th Annual State of Our Children Address & Report Card Release

Purchase your tickets and join us for the 13th Annual State of Our Children Address and Report Card Release on February 26th at Theater At Innovation Square, 131 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604. Doors open up at 1:30pm. The program starts at 2pm.

The State of Our Children Address is an annual event to showcase how data, policy, and people can improve outcomes for children and families. The event brings together more than 500 people who believe in big goals, bold collaboration, and a bright future for Rochester’s young people. Together, our work can fuel progress and drive meaningful change.

Tickets are available now and you can join our growing list of sponsors by completing this form and emailing jlewis@rocthefuture.org.

Purchase Tickets

ROC the Future Alliance | www.rocthefuture.org