Young children and their caregivers are invited to a free street fair in downtown Grand Rapids
The Great Start Collaborative and Great Start Parent Coalition are teaming up with the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Grand Rapids Public Library, PNC, and First Steps to throw a free community party for young children on Tuesday, May 8. Parents [...]

…and you change everything.  Check out this compelling video about the long-term impact of investments in quality early childhood services.

Kent Intermediate School District is a new Great Start to Quality Resource Center — part of an exciting new statewide effort to strengthen early learning programs.

Early Learning Communities expands to serve children and families in Northwest Grand Rapids
First Steps, Grand Rapids Public Schools, and the Great Start Collaborative are expanding their work to make sure that young children enter kindergarten ready for school success by opening a new Early Learning Communities hub in Harrison Park School.  A kick-off is planned [...]

First Steps and the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter are teaming up to provide essential supplies to encourage safe sleep among newborn babies.  A $10,000 grant from the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter will provide cribs and sleep sacks to families of newborns. 

The number of Kent County children living in poverty has increased every year of the last decade. At the same time, many of the support systems that children need to be healthy and successful in school are unraveling in the face of budget cuts and increasing needs.

The Great Start Parent Coalition has collected more than 160,000 diapers over the last three years and is working to bring in another 75,000 this spring.  The Great Start Parent Coalition Diaper Drive provides a great opportunity to help meet one of the most basic needs of babies in our community.

State invests $12.5 million to improve the quality of child care and begin a statewide assessment of kindergarten readiness.

The Great Start Parent Coalition’s annual Diaper Drive provides diapers for Kent County families. You can make an online contribution by clicking the Diaper Drive link.

The annual Kids Count report shows the number of Kent County children living in poverty continues to increase.