KIDS COUNT Communities
(previously known as Kids First Communities)
KIDS COUNT's Kids First Communities Campaign was the first statewide effort to unite parents, childcare providers and community leaders to advocate for better childcare.
In March of 2008, KIDS COUNT selected six non-profit organizations to serve as regional leaders for the six Kids First Communities and awarded each of them a $5,000 grant and extensive technical support to:
- raise awareness about the need for better childcare; and
- build grassroots support among parents, childcare providers and community leaders for a childcare quality rating and improvement system.
During 2008 and early 2009, the Kids First Communities led a variety of grassroots activities designed to demonstrate public support for a QRIS. For instance, they:
- actively recruited more than 2,000 parents and childcare providers to join KIDS COUNT's e-mail Action Alert system;
- helped secure the endorsement of over 100 community leaders and organizations;
- met with local legislators in their home districts and capitol offices to discuss childcare quality concerns
- honored the work of childcare providers with a wildly successful "Take a Flower to Childcare Day" celebration ;
- helped organize a letter-writing campaign that resulted in more than 300 postcards to the governor in support of a QRIS ; and
- participated in a successful "We Put Kids First. Do You?" legislative reception attended by 150, including 40 legislators.
To cap off those grassroots success, in the final minutes of the 2009 legislative session a bill was passed and subsequently signed by the Governor launching West Virginia’s first childcare quality rating and improvement system. Veterans of the legislative process told us to expect at least three separate tries our bill would pass, but our legislation made it through on the first attempt, thanks in large part to grassroots outreach and education efforts of our Kids First Communities!
With that major success in hand, KIDS COUNT has opened a new chapter in our mission to advocate for better childcare. We are now focused on recognizing West Virginia businesses that support their employees' childcare needs. Our new Business on Board with Childcare! program will honor West Virginia employers who adhere to key criteria for a childcare-friendly workplace. And the Kids First Communities -- now called "KIDS COUNT Communities" -- will play a key role in helping KIDS COUNT spread the word about Business on Board with Childcare! awards to main street business all across West Virginia. Specifically, the KIDS COUNT Communities will educate local businesses about the importance of a childcare-friendly workplace, secure endorsements from local and regional business groups, recruit businesses to participate in the project, work with local media to publicize the project, and host regional awards events for the Business on Board with Childcare! designees.
To learn more about the Business on Board with Childcare! award program, click here.
KIDS COUNT Boone-Clay-Kanawha-Putnam
Kanawha Early Childhood Committee of Regional Family Resource Network
Contact: Diane Hughes, 304-595-5521
Email: DCHughes@KCS.Kana.K12.WV.US or d_c_hughes@yahoo.com
Pictured from left to right: Lisa Ertle, Michelle Baranaskas, Diane Hughes and Sharon Midkiff
KIDS COUNT Cabell-Wayne
Cabell-Wayne Early Childhood Council
Contact: Shirley Topeka,
304-429-6167
Email: stopeka@aol.com
Pictured from left to right: Carlotta Gee, Susan Miller, Jeannette Barker, Shirley Topeka and Judy Kachelreis.
KIDS COUNT Mid-Ohio Valley
Children's Home Society
Contact: Deb Murphy, 304-485-0650
Email: dmurphy@childhswv.org
Pictured from left to right: Breanne Huber and Steve Tuck
KIDS COUNT North Central
Monongalia Family Resource Network
Contact: Angela Faulkner-Vaglienti
Email: moncofrn@aol.com
Pictured from left to right: Andrea Stanley, Suzanne Smart and Brandi Potock
KIDS COUNT Northern Panhandle
Youth Services System, Inc.
Contact: Linda Edwards, 304-232-8712
Email: ledwards@ysswv.com
Pictured from left to right: Jill Eddy and Linda Edwards
KIDS COUNT South
MountainHeart Child Care Services
Contact: Roma Lester, 304-682-8271 or 1-800-834-7082
Email: romalester@wvdhhr.org
Pictured from left to right: Jennifer Lusk and Roma Lester
