1. Introduction
(Adapted from December, 2012 Board of Directors presentation by John Rhomberg)

2. The Project
• Our story: Small Iowa town determined to recover
from loss of three teens to suicide and create
healthier community. Strong desire to share
lessons learned and help other communities grow
more resilient youth.
• Leader: Community member, mother, and
resiliency researcher, Dr. Mollie Marti, set out to
find answers and tools. Research led to creation of
ECCE Community Resiliency Model™.

3. The Project
• Tagline: Empowering communities to grow
resilient youth.
• Apple Tree logo: The strong, healthy tree
(community), nourished by the elements (data
driven research and best practices), produces
good fruit (healthy youth).

4. The Mission
• Our mission is to empower communities to
grow resilient youth.
• We envision communities engaging their youth
and helping them grow their hope, strength,
resiliency, connection, and contribution.

5. Call to Action…
“It is time we recognize that youth development
and community development are one-in-the-
same. Young people naturally desire to belong
and make a difference while a community can
thrive only when it nourishes the unique
passions, skills, and contributions of its youth.
Working together we can form solutions stronger
than any crisis that may come our way.”
~Dr. Mollie Marti

6. Long-Term Objectives
• Simplify youth building through ECCE
Community Resiliency Model™ and tools.
• Serve as premier provider of research-based
education for those invested in youth building.
• Serve as resource for communities recovering
from losing a child to suicide or proactively
strengthening youth. One loss is one too many.

7. ECCE Community Resiliency Model™
Foundational model converting research into simple applications that grow stronger youth
• The ECCE (Engage-Connect-Challenge-
Empower) Model makes it easy for parents,
communities, schools, and organizations to
strengthen youth and help them thrive by growing
their capacity to cope with stressful events.
• This 4-pillar, 20-factor research based model
takes into account mental, physical, social,
emotional, spiritual, and environmental needs.

8. Thriving Communities
(Resources and certification for communities committed to growing resilient youth)
↑
Education, Tools, & Resources
(Information and practical tools delivered to empower youth resiliency)
↑
ECCE Community Resiliency Model™
(A 20-factor foundational model for empowering a community to grow resilient youth)
↑
Research and Best Practices

9. Start Up: Initial Assets
• Expert Board of Directors
• CEO (Dr. Mollie Marti) and support staff
• ECCE Model of Community Resiliency™
• Pilot Thriving Community of Mount Vernon IA
• Website (donated by 3RhinoMedia).
• Community Resiliency Series 2013 (hosted by
Mediacom, available to all via web).

10. Start Up: Priority Opportunities
• Develop Board of Advisors
• Partner with other youth service organizations to
use ECCE Model to further their work.
• Partner with corporate sponsors to host
Community Resiliency Annual Conference.
• Obtain grant funding to support programming.
• Get course work accredited for continuing
education and professional development.

11. Product/Service Development
- 2013 Educational Series.
- Tools, resources, surveys, and publications based
upon the educational series and other current
research.
- Community toolkit: a collection of resources
simplifying research and best practices for easy
application.
- Community certification and direct consulting
related to youth resiliency building.

12. Thank You to our Board of Directors:
Ro Foege, MSW, former Representative, State of Iowa
Doug Frank, Regional Vice President, Mediacom, Inc.
Jan Jensen, MA, Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach, University of Iowa
Peg Kerr, PhD, RN, Chair of Nursing Department, University of Dubuque
James Larew, JD, former Chief of Staff, State of Iowa
Heidi Levine, PhD, Dean of Students, Cornell College
John Rhomberg, MBA, CEO of B4Brands, Inc.
John Rife, CLU, former President and CEO of United Fire Group
Christine Scheetz, MPA, CEO of United Way of Johnson County