Local Philanthropy

More than a third of the children in the U.S. Virgin Islands are officially, and sadly, classified as “poor.” About 20 percent of V.I. families – twice the U.S. national average – live at or below poverty level, a rate set at $19,350 for a family of four. And a great many of those not actually in the poverty category are teetering on the edge. The median income for families in the Virgin Islands is $32,613 – compared with a national average of $55,327.

The figures come from the most recent Kids Count report (2006), a survey updated and published annually by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and funded by the Anne E. Casey Foundation.

These kinds of statistics translate into dire consequences for island children and youth, especially in the areas of health and education. Moved by such egregious need, and prompted by the belief that education is at its core an investment in humanity, the Foundation has focused much of its efforts on improving educational opportunities for Virgin Islands students.

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The Foundation also supports social services, the arts and cultural programs in the territory.