One of the Good People in the World

[packman]

In 1993, Harris Rosen “adopted” a run-down, drug-infested section of Orlando called Tangelo Park. Rosen offers free preschool for all children prior to kindergarten and a free college education for high school graduates. Today, the high school graduation rate for Tangelo Park is 100 percent

The Tangelo Park Program, started in 1993, gives every neighborhood child age 2 to 4 access to free preschool. Parents have access to parenting classes, vocational courses and technical training.

For a program that took just one hour and four people to develop, the impact has been wide and deep. Tangelo Park Elementary is now a grade-A school. Every high school senior graduates.

But there’s more. Much more.

Every high school graduate who is accepted to a Florida public university, community or state college, or vocational school receives a full Harris Rosen Foundation scholarship, which covers tuition, living and educational expenses through graduation.

Nearly 200 students have earned Rosen scholarships, and of those, 75 percent have graduated from college—the highest rate among an ethnic group in the nation

https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/harris-rosen/

[Vinca]

1. The polar opposite of the current POTUS.

What a good man. Thanks for posting.

[get the red out]

2. I wish our whole country

Could WANT to make these successes happen.

[Duppers]

5. +100

This country, most especially GOPers, relish in blaming victims of poverty.

[IronLionZion]

11. GOP are against education

and will help the poor by offering them tax cuts and repealing job killing regulations.

[IronLionZion]

10. Obama proposed free community college

It's good that the tangelo park park program includes state universities and vocational/trade schools. Sounds like it has shown serious improvements in their local economy.

[hunter]

14. We, as a nation, could make it happen throughout the U.S.A..

I'm absolutely certain racism and a certain amount of classism is one of the reasons we don't. (Californians of my grandparents' generation did not welcome "Okies," my San Francisco born grandma's family considered themselves much superior...)

There are too many people in this nation who don't want "their hard earned tax dollars" helping people they don't like, even though they themselves have enjoyed the benefits of good public schools and literally hundreds of government programs, subsidies, and tax breaks.

I know people in our own city (mostly white and getting older) who will look at a public elementary school playground at recess, notice the vast majority of kids are not white, and then complain about their property taxes in the next breath.

[uponit7771]

17. +1

[lark]

3. What an inspiration he is!

Wow, look what he's accomplished, I'm just awestruck! Love to hear about people doing good for others, such a change from the awfulness coming out of DC these days.

[The Wielding Truth]

4. K&R

[niyad]

6. DAMN--it is so dusty in here. THANK YOU so much for sharing this amazing story with us.

Goddess knows we need all the good, positive, life-and-love affirming news we can get, and the reminder that there really are wonderful, caring, loving people in the world.

[eleny]

7. Me, too! I don't know why but it misted me up right away

This is the kind of person who keeps me hopeful for the country.

[sarge43]

8. Thank you for posting. It's too easy to forget there are good people doing good things.

Blessings on his house.

[Honeycombe8]

9. I wonder how much that costs him. This is a story that bolsters charity & free enterprise.

I hope people understand that. He made millions in the free enterprise system, then as a civic minded person, gave money to the unfortunate. He chose to give in this way.

This was Reagan's dream, actually. NOT the govt doing these things. But those people who had money, or churches, helping others, instead of the govt.

It would be a greater story if ALL of our children had these opportunities, and not just a few who are dependent upon the kindness of a few multi-millionaires. (It takes a lot of wealth to do what Rosen is doing.)

It's the same premise as the school voucher program, where a few disadvantaged kids get to go to a good private school, while most of the disadvantaged kids are left where they are, and with less money, since some money is transferred to the private schools.

But this is wonderful for those students who have benefited from Rosen's kindness and philanthropy. He has changed lives.

[haele]

12. A great example of Charity and Nobless Oblige notwithstanding, most places don't have benefactors

Not only because someone has to want to make the investment of time and treasure to the community, but a community may not have a benefactor anywhere around that is capable of giving like this man does. Rural communities and poor urban areas in most areas especially aren't lucky enough to have someone with the resources to provide such an investment.

That's why it can never be assumed that the local community charities or churches are able to adequately educate or even support their vulnerable populations over the long period of time it takes to turn poverty, ignorance and lack of growth around.

That's why the government must be there to step in when community businesses, charities, churches, or donors can't. Government is the third leg of the social/economic stool, it's there to step in when businesses, banking/trade, and community organizations fail.

Haele

[Honeycombe8]

13. Totally agree. It shouldn't be necessary that a rich individual do this for our children. nt

[barbtries]

15. that is really wonderful.

very happy for those people. they got the boots Al Franken was talking about.

https://www.facebook.com/roxann.parker.18/posts/10209331752802703?comment_id=10209344879650866&notif_t=feed_comment_reply&notif_id=1501088559144382

i cannot find a proper link to this great video of Al Franken discussing why he's a Democrat.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. Wow! What a wonderful and inspirational human being!

And kudos to the kids who have benefited from his generosity! They still had to work hard to graduate - hope they all turn out to be as successful and generous as their hero!

[lillypaddle]

18. This man is an angel