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Creating and choosing the zones Using data on poverty, zones were identified, including four in the northern part of the county. “So looking at, for example, the number of children using the Orange County Health Department clinics, the number of kids on free or reduced lunch, the number of kids on Medicaid, a couple of other data points, pulling that together and seeing which neighborhoods have the highest concentrations, those indicators,” McMonigle said. “There’s a written application and we spent September and into October doing community outreach to let folks know that this was an opportunity.” In the end, six zones were identified. As the alliance started its public phase, members of the grassroots Initiative on Poverty, an effort involving local churches , started taking interest in the project. “There’s great synergy between these two projects,” McMonigle said. “A number of the people involved in the Initiative on Poverty have participated in submitting zone applications, became zone champions.” On Dec. 16, the Family Success Alliance Council—an array of representatives including those from the school systems, local government, health care, civic and nonprofit groups —voted to choose two of the proposed zones. McConigle said each of the zones were scored before the meeting, and members of the alliance then hear d presentations from the zone champions—a person representing an assigned zone. “I think the applications were due sometime in November, and then the council members basically had a month to grade or score each application,” she said. “So all of those scores were compiled and presented at the beginning of the Dec. 16 meeting. Basically it was one round of scoring the applications, then the zones gave their oral presentation, and after that the counc il members had an opportunity to revise their initial score based on what they learned in the presentation. … The fact is that the scores didn’t change.” Zones 4 and 6 were selected—one from each school district—to pilot the program. “There were six identified, and then two were selected to pilot the project, reco gnizing that we could not start in all six at the same time,” McMonigle said. “Even though it’s pretty clear that there is a real interest to support each zone over time.” Where to go from here McMonigle said the next phase will be looking at the chosen zones even more closely. Performing a gap analysis, conducting needs assessment and developing a zone identity are all on tap to understand the areas better. “We will pull all of that information together, present it to the zones,” McMonigle said. “We’ll have a community meeting in March and say this is a snapshot of the things happening in the zones. “So they will bring the priorities to the council, and then it will be working together —the council and community—to set those priorities and begin, whether it’s specific interventions or policy changes, and that will happen after the April 20 council meeting.”