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, in 2009 KIDS COUNT 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 Business on Board with Childcare! program honors West Virginia employers who adhere to key criteria for a childcare-friendly workplace. And the Kids First Communities -- now called "KIDS COUNT Communities" -- are playing key role in helping KIDS COUNT spread the word about Business on Board with Childcare! main street business all across West Virginia. Specifically, the KIDS COUNT Communities are educating local businesses about the importance of a childcare-friendly workplace, securing endorsements from local and regional business groups, recruiting businesses to participate in the project, working with local media to publicize the project, and assisting with the statewide award event for the Business on Board with Childcare! designees. In 2009, their efforts helped KIDS COUNT identify 71 award winners.
To learn more about the Business on Board with Childcare! award program, click here.
Our 2010 KIDS COUNT Community Leaders...
KIDS COUNT Boone-Clay-Kanawha-Putnam (BCKP)
West Virginia KIDS COUNT Fund
Contact: Margie Hale, Executive Director
margiehale@wvkidscountfund.org
KIDS COUNT Cabell-Wayne
Cabell-Wayne Early Childhood Council
Contact: Shirley Topeka,
304-429-6167
Email: stopeka@aol.com
KIDS COUNT Mid-Ohio Valley
Community Resources, Inc.
Contact: Jennifer Randolph,
304-485-5525
Email: jrandolph@cricap.org
KIDS COUNT North Central
Monongalia Family Resource Network
Contact: Brandi Potock, 304-296-7525
Email: brandi@teamunitedway.org
KIDS COUNT Northern Panhandle
Youth Services System, Inc.
Contact: Jill Eddy, 304-232-8712
Email: jeddy@ysswv.com
KIDS COUNT South
MountainHeart Child Care Services
Contact:
Jennifer Thacker,
304-253-7654
Email: jennifer.l.hacker@wvdhhr.org
