Groundwork Ohio Announces Inaugural Family Action Network
Groundwork Ohio is thrilled to share exciting information about our Family Action Network and our May 18th Family Action Network Launch at the Ohio Statehouse. Thanks to the strong interest and support of Ohio families and our partners, our inaugural Family Action Network includes a diverse statewide coalition of more than 100 parents, grandparents, foster parents, caregivers, and their young children, as well as community partners.
At Groundwork Ohio, we believe families with young children deserve to be respected, valued, and heard. We are excited to invest in the leadership of families, provide families opportunities to engage with policymakers on the issues that matter most to them, and help members of our Family Action Network share their stories with policymakers on May 18th at the Ohio Statehouse.
Join Us May 18th at the Statehouse for Groundwork's Family Celebration!
As part of the official launch of our Family Action Network, we invite you and your family to join Groundwork's Family Celebration, a kid-friendly event celebrating families with infants, toddlers, and young children.
Groundwork's Family Celebration will take place on Wednesday, May 18th from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the West Plaza of the Ohio Statehouse. At the Family Celebration, you’ll join hundreds of Ohioans from across the state to show your support and cheer on members of our Family Action Network who are coming to the Statehouse to share their stories and experiences with state legislators!
RSVP and bring the kids! There will be children's entertainment, a photobooth, special guest speakers, and more.
Learn More & RSVP >>
Once you've registered for the Family Celebration, be sure to reach out to 5 people you know and invite them to RSVP! You can also promote the Family Celebration on social media and to your networks by using our promotional toolkit.
ICYMI: Ready, Set, Soar Ohio Blog Series on Black Maternal Health Week
In celebration of Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17, 2022), Ready, Set, Soar Ohio – a project of Groundwork Ohio – published a guest blog series this week featuring Black-led organizations and organizations committed to advancing health equity in Ohio. In the blog series, local organizations shared how their innovative work supports Black maternal health and improves outcomes for Black mothers and their babies.
We invite you to visit www.readysetsoaroh.org/progress to read guest blogs from incredible organizations including Project Ujima, Inc., Rosemary's Babies Company, Village of Healing, Summit County Public Health, and March of Dimes.
You can also help us promote the blog series on social media by downloading our social media toolkit! Be sure to tag Ready, Set, Soar Ohio on Twitter and Facebook at @ReadySetSoarOH and use the hashtag #BMHW22.
Franklin County RISE: An Investment in Young Kids, Early Educators, and Families
Last month, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners announced the county is investing more than $22 million toward quality early childhood education. Called Franklin County RISE, this historic investment utilizes funds from the federal American Rescue Plan to increase access to affordable child care, support child care programs and early educators, and ensure more children have access to quality early learning opportunities.
This week, Groundwork Ohio published a blog from Commissioner Erica C. Crawley on the significance of Franklin County RISE and its impact on the community. As Commissioner Crawley writes:
"Franklin County RISE shows our county’s commitment to the youngest members of our society, who are both our current foundation and future hope. By taking care of the most vulnerable, we can ensure a stronger and healthier community for generations."
Groundwork Ohio Welcomes Two New Staff to the Team
Groundwork Ohio is thrilled to share that we've welcomed two new team members to our incredible team!
This week, we welcomed Lindsay Ciavarelli to Groundwork as the Director of the Center for Maternal & Young Child Health. Lindsay brings to Groundwork more than 12 years in the nonprofit and public health sectors improving outcomes for children, mothers, and families. With significant experience providing hands-on child welfare services, to overseeing a complex system of home visiting to decrease the alarming infant mortality rate, she has remained steadfast in her commitment to building programs that positively affect families in real time.
Most recently, Lindsay served as a Senior Manager of Business Development and Government Relations with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, assisting to scale programming across the U.S. and Canada to help children in foster care find permanency through adoption.
We also welcomed Erin Ryan, our new Director of Policy Advocacy & External Affairs, to the team this week. Erin is a passionate and accomplished leader who brings a decade of experience in advocacy, legislative strategy, and coalition building. Erin most recently worked as a Policy Analyst at Innovation Ohio, a statewide policy and advocacy nonprofit. During that time, she also served as the Managing Director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, a coalition of nearly 40 organizations advocating for policy solutions that build economic opportunity for women and their families.
Please join us in welcoming Lindsay and Erin to Groundwork Ohio!
Early Childhood Leaders Provide Testimony at Ohio Statehouse
This week, the Study Committee on Ohio's Publicly Funded Child Care and Step Up To Quality Program held a hearing at the Ohio Statehouse, inviting early childhood professionals and child care experts to provide testimony. During the hearing, members of the committee heard from providers and early educators who shared the challenges they face, as well as why Ohio must invest more in quality child care and early learning opportunities.
We look forward to continuing to engage with the study committee as they move forward with efforts to examine Ohio's quality child care system and explore ways to ensure families and young children have access to quality, affordable care!
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