HAPPENING TODAY: You're invited to join us for our virtual event Laying the Groundwork Summit: in the Ohio House today from 10:00-11:30 AM. This virtual summit is an opportunity to learn how Ohio's biennial budget can support quality early childhood experiences for Ohio kids, families and communities and how you can engage throughout the budget process. Our stellar speaker lineup includes:
Governor Mike DeWine
Director Kristi Burre from the Governor's Office of Children's Initiatives
Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs
Finance Committee Ranking Minority Member Erica Crawley
Finance Subcommittee on Health & Human Services Chairman Bill Roemer
Majority Floor Leader Bill Seitz
Making this Moment a Movement 5-Day Virtual Advocacy Challenge
Calling all parents, caregivers, early childhood professionals, community leaders, policymakers, business owners, and advocates: Are you eager to engage in early childhood state budget advocacy? We invite you to join us next week for our Making this Moment a Movement 5-Day Virtual Advocacy Challenge. During this 5-day challenge, you will commit 5 minutes each day to advocate for children and families in the ongoing state budget process.
Are you ready to make this moment a movement? Our tools and resources make it easy for you to elevate your voice and influence statewide policy.
Commit to making Ohio the best place to be a young child by joining the challenge. Be sure to participate every day between March 22 and March 26!
Apply to Host Listening Sessions for Black Families
Ohio's Eliminating Racial Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force isseeking applicants to host listening sessions for Black families in communities throughout Ohio. At the listening sessions, participating families will be asked to share their expertise and knowledge on:
Experiencing a poor birth outcome or loss of an infant.
Participating in a program or receiving support that improved the health of their pregnancy or postpartum experience.
If your organization would like to host a listening session in your community, you must apply by Friday, March 26, 2021.
Groundwork's Executive Director Appointed to Governor's Task Force
Groundwork Ohio is pleased to share that our Executive Director Shannon Jones has been appointed to the Eliminating Disparities in Infant Mortality Task Force. The statewide task force aims to address Ohio’s racial disparities in infant mortality and will create recommendations on ways to improve Ohio’s investments and strategies to address racial inequalities in birth outcomes.
Check out our press release for more information on the task force and Shannon's leadership in promoting equity and actionable solutions to address Ohio's infant mortality crisis.
What's In the American Rescue Plan Act for Ohio Kids and Families?
On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law a robust COVID-19 economic relief package. The relief package – known as the American Rescue Plan Act – includes provisions that will provide immediate relief for young children and families, as well as much-needed funding for child care and infant and maternal health.
So what's in the American Rescue Plan Act? Check out our latest blog post highlighting key provisions of the plan that support infants, young children, and their families.
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