Child Connect for Family Success

The Livingston County Homeless   Continuum of Care’s (HCCC) Fifth Annual Community Connect is coming   soon!  The event will be held January 28, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a NEW LOCATION:   ParkerMiddle School in Howell,   400 Wright   Road, 48843.

Community Connect is a one-day   event to help Livingston County residents that are having trouble meeting   their needs connect with the services in a friendly, easy to access location.   Individuals can connect to over 40 organizations that can offer information   and services such as housing assistance, health screenings, legal   consultation, food services, haircuts, massages, clothing and other personal   need items. Lunch and on-site professional childcare is also provided at no   cost to participants. No registration is required for guests to attend Community   Connect. For more information you   can contact 211.

Despite learning today that Michigan is not one of nine states awarded a federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant, the work to build a system of early learning and development to ensure all of Michigan’s children are ready for success when they enter kindergarten will continue.

“Michigan’s application team did a fantastic job of demonstrating Michigan’s long history of commitment on behalf of young children and families and our track record of successful innovation, said Joan Blough, leader of Michigan’s application team, transition director for the new Michigan Office of Great Start and vice president of Great Start System Development and Evaluation for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation.

“What we learned in this process is that the work outlined in this grant application must happen if Michigan is going to change the trajectory of these vulnerable young children and their school success.”

The Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corporation held a statewide crib exchange due to the enactment of new crib standards enacted last month by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Over 2,000 cribs were distributed statewide to child care providers in order to meet the new safety standards.  Child Connect distributed 140 cribs to providers in Livingston and Genesee Counties on behalf of the Great Start Regional Resource Center to help mitigate the costs and ensure the safety of our counties' children.

Mike Hall, Owner of Cobb-Hall Insurance of Livingston County testified before the Michigan House Education Reform Committee in Lansing. Hall, a member of the Livingston Promise is working to find a way for all children in Livingston County to have a quality pre-kindergarten opportunity

Members of Livingston Promise had the opportunity to listen to Jaque Eatman, Coordinator of Great Start Collaborative of Kalamazoo and a leader of the Kalamazoo Promise speak at LESA on July 7, 2011. Livingston Promise members were encouraged to recruit people to promote, assist and monitor the organization as it works to provide preschool opportunities for all Livingston children.