In what is expected to be the largest non-partisan political forum in Northwest Ohio this fall, candidates for the Ohio General Assembly will meet parents, medical professionals, child care providers, local elected officials, teachers, students and college professors as well as representatives of social service agencies Tuesday, September 12, at Owens Community College Toledo Area Campus.

            Nearly 200 voters already have confirmed their attendance at the 90-minute program to be moderated by Laura Emerson, Fox Toledo News WUPW Channel 36.  The program will begin promptly at 7 p.m. at the College's Performing Arts Center.

Attendance is free and open to the public.

            The program also will introduce Groundwork, a platform created by early care and education professionals and lay persons on behalf of creating a fair learning and behavioral start for children from birth to six-years old and offering good choices for their parents.

            Groundwork was created over a two-year period by the Ohio Early Care and Education Campaign.  Local organizations taking a leading role in molding the Groundwork platform include leading colleges and universities, social service agencies, early childhood providers and medical organizations serving children.

            No less than 32 of those local agencies will be represented at the forum which is officially sponsored by the Owens Community College, University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, HARBOR Behavioral Health Care, Northwest Ohio Community Action Commission, YW Child Care Connections and Lucas County Right From the Start. 

            Lori McClung, Groundwork campaign director, said the campaign started much of its work in northwest Ohio.

             "There is no question that Northwest Ohio has been a state leader in creating academic and social readiness opportunities for our youngest citizens," she said. "We have relied on the experiences here to develop a systematic approach we call Groundwork to increase support in our next state budget on behalf of our youngest citizens."

            For more information on Groundwork and the local organizations sponsoring the candidate forum go to www.groundworkohio.com.

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