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The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development will release the 2025 KIDS COUNT® USVI Data Book, titled “When Data Speaks: The Voice of Our Children,” on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. during a virtual stakeholder presentation via Zoom, according to a press release from the foundation.
A national initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, KIDS COUNT has grown into one of the largest and longest-standing data repositories in the United States focused on the well-being of children and families. The program spans all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is widely recognized as a vital tool for government agencies at every level, according to the press release.
During the online presentation, the St. Croix Foundation’s KIDS COUNT USVI team will provide an overview of the 2025 data package for government partners, nonprofit and civic organizations, policymakers, and community stakeholders. This year’s Data Book reports on six key domains: Education, Economic Well-being, Family and Community, Health, Opportunity Youth (ages 16 to 24), and Community Bright Spots, the press release stated.
The 2025 report highlights data as a reflection of children’s voices, drawing from the most current information available from government and nonprofit sources throughout the territory. For the first time, it will also include direct input from young people who share their experiences and perspectives in their own words, the release stated.
The foundation encourages parents, educators, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and members of the media to attend the virtual release. The event will explore challenges facing the territory’s opportunity youth and foster collaboration around creative, community-based solutions, the release stated.
Building on the 2024 launch of the territory’s first KIDS COUNT USVI Data Dashboard, the team will also provide updates on the dashboard’s expanded features. The interactive online tool, accessible at stxfoundation.org/kids-count-dashboard, offers free public access to key data points across all KIDS COUNT domains and serves as a model for data-sharing among local agencies, it stated.
“As we reflect on the release of this year’s KIDS COUNT USVI Data Book, it is vital to recognize that solutions to the challenges facing our children and families are a shared responsibility,” said St. Croix Foundation President and CEO Deanna James. “Every person and organization in our community has a role to play and a stake in their well-being. At the heart of our work lies our children — our future — and it is essential that we listen to their voices, elevate their perspectives, and ensure that their experiences guide our efforts.”
Since assuming stewardship of the KIDS COUNT initiative in 2020, St. Croix Foundation has emphasized the community’s obligation to protect and empower the territory’s youth, reaffirming its commitment to data-driven advocacy and policy development.
Registration Information:
The virtual event is free and open to the public. Participants can register at stxfoundation.info/2025KidsCountRegistration. Registered attendees will receive an electronic copy of the 2025 Data Book during the release. The report will later be available at stxfoundation.org, and printed copies will be distributed following the event.
For more information about the 2025 KIDS COUNT USVI release, contact jlawrence@stxfoundation.org.
Questions about the KIDS COUNT USVI Initiative can be directed to St. Croix Foundation President Deanna James at 340-773-9898 or DJames@stxfoundation.org.
St. Croix Foundation expressed appreciation to the Annie E. Casey Foundation and its local data partners for their ongoing collaboration and commitment to children and families throughout the Virgin Islands.
