City Connects & The Center for Thriving Children

The Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children engages in rigorous interdisciplinary research to investigate how all children can thrive. We innovate, test, and implement interventions. We convene educators, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to exchange knowledge and catalyze changes that promote healthy child development, learning, thriving, and opportunity for all. 

The Center is home of City Connects, an an evidence-based approach to addressing the out-of-school factors that can impact student success. This strategy creates a hub of support that matches existing services to each student. This support makes a significant impact on students — now, and years from now.

City Connects was launched in 2001 through a partnership with six Boston Public Schools. Now, City Connects is being implemented in more than 200 schools across five states and two countries and serves more than 45,000 students every year.