Boost! and New Haven Promise work hand-in-hand to help New Haven students succeed. Boost! helps to make sure students receive the non-academic support they need, and New Haven Promise offers subsidized in-state college tuition to students who maintain grades and attendence and perform community service. Together, they help mobilize the community around the common goal of improving our schools.
 
So it was a natural fit when United Way, which is responsible for Boost!, and New Haven Promise, organized volunteeers to knock on doors in the Hill and Fair Haven neighborhoods on Saturday to help parents and families get the information they need to take advantage of all Boost! andt New Haven Promise offer.
 
Volunteers gathered atarted at about 9:30 a.m., and hit the road a little after 10. By about 1 p.m., Volunteers had knocked on more than 500 doors and talked with over 200 families.
 
Families throughout the canvass had different degrees of awareness of the programs.
 
"I'm already doing Promise," said a smiling Fair Haven-based high schooler.  Her sister was aware of Boost! in her school, though her mother was not. The mom took a look at the Boost! brochure, and nodded with interest.
 
Later in the day, a father greeted the volunteers with little knowledge of either program, though he was sure his wife knew about them. As did his kids. "They do very well in school," he said proudly.
 
The Yale Daily News sent a reporter to cover the canvass.
 
It was the third school-related canvass of the year. In August, volunteers helped welcome new kindergartners to New Haven Public Schools, and in September they helped inform families about Promise and the upcoming Parent University -- a day of free workshops for New Haven Public School parents.
 
Volunteers are still needed for November 3's Parent University at the new Gateway Community College in downtown New Haven. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact Adriana Joseph at parentuniversitynewhaven@gmail.com.