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 or other adult caregivers are encouraged to attend Star Power – a day-long celebration to show children that they are the “stars” of our community.

There will be games, crafts, face painting, free gifts, and story time with Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell and other local leaders. Kids will have an opportunity to check out the PNC Mobile Learning Adventure – a traveling exhibit full of fun activities, including the famous “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up” photo station. Children will get to take home a photo of them dressed up for the career of their choice.

WHO: Children ages 5 and younger and their parent(s) or other adult caregiver(s)
WHAT: Star Power Celebration
WHEN: Tuesday, May 8, 2012 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
WHERE: In front of the Main Library in downtown Grand Rapids (111 Library St. NE)

This is the sixth annual Star Power gathering. The first five all have been at Michigan’s State Capitol, where thousands of advocates have talked with lawmakers about the importance of early childhood and the benefits of investing in quality services for young children and their parents. This year, organizers decided to keep it local, holding dozens of events in local communities across the state.

“Star Power will be a fun and festive celebration, but it also carries an important message,” explains Sean Welsh, PNC regional president for West Michigan, speaking on behalf of The PNC Foundation. “Young children are our future. When we invest in them, we also are investing in a stronger, more prosperous community.”

For more information about Star Power, visit www.greatstartforkids.org/star-power. For more information about the Great Start Collaborative of Kent County, visit www.greatstartkent.org.

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 for Tuesday, April 24, during the Week of the Young Child—an annual celebration that focuses public attention on the needs of young children and their families and recognizes quality programs that meet those needs.

What:                  Celebration of the newest Early Learning Communities hub

Where:               Harrison Park School, 1440 Davis, Ave. NW, Grand Rapids

When:                 Tuesday, April 24th, 9-11 a.m.  Remarks at 10 a.m.

PNC, funding partner of Early Learning Communities through its PNC Grow Up Great Initiative, is sponsoring the kick-off celebration.  Sean Welsh, PNC regional president for West Michigan will make remarks at 10 a.m. regarding the importance of investing in early childhood.  Puppeteer and author Kevin Kammeraad will perform for the Early Learning Communities participants following Welsh’s remarks.  The celebration also will include games and activities for the children.

The Early Learning Communities initiative provides quality early education experiences for young children and training and professional development for early childhood caregivers and educators.  The initiative, which already serves families in the neighborhoods around Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy and Burton School, just completed its first year.  An independent evaluation found that participating caregivers and parents report that their skills and knowledge have improved – particularly around promoting early literacy – and that the children in their care have shown significant developmental gains.

As part of Early Learning Communities, in-home caregivers and parents have the opportunity to attend Play & Learn Groups with literacy-based activities for children.  The curriculum for the Play & Learn Groups is aligned with Michigan Department of Education expectations for kindergarten readiness.

“Many of our children enter kindergarten without previously attending a preschool,” explained Joanne Kelty, Director of Early Childhood for GRPS.  “Early Learning Communities offers a quality early learning experience that strengthens children’s language and literacy skills as well as their social skills – all of which are critical to success as they begin school.”

In addition to First Steps, Grand Rapids Public Schools, and the Great Start Collaborative, the Early Learning Communities partnership includes the Grand Rapids Public Library, Kent School Services Network, human services agencies, and neighborhood churches.  It is funded by PNC Grow Up Great, Sebastian Foundation, Stranahan Foundation, Heart of West Michigan United Way, Grand Rapids Public Schools, and the Great Start Regional Resource Center.

The supplies will be distributed through Welcome Home Baby, a free program that provides new parents with information about infant health, safety, and child development and connects them to early childhood services in the community.  The sleep sacks will be distributed as part of a tool kit that also includes a thermometer, a DVD about infant soothing, children’s books, and a guide book for parents.  The cribs will be provided on an as needed basis, if a Welcome Home Baby nurse determines that the newborn does not have a safe place to sleep.

“This investment by the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter will further both organizations’ efforts to improve the safety and health of newborns in our community,” said Maureen Kirkwood, Director of Health Initiatives at First Steps.  “We are finding that many babies do not have a safe place to sleep and are forced to share a bed with other family members or sleep in a ‘makeshift bed’ like a dresser drawer, both of which could lead to serious injury or even death.  That should not happen in our community, and we can prevent it by providing families with basic equipment and education about safe sleep.”

Kara Hamilton, State Director of Program Services and Public Affairs for the March of Dimes, says “The March of Dimes Michigan Chapter is proud to support First Steps.  Safe sleep practices can make the difference between life or death.  It is so important to bring awareness around these messages.  First Steps not only provides education, but actually arms parents with tools.”

The Kids Count in Michigan Data Book “Health Matters” focuses on child health and the role that the social and economic factors in children’s lives play in good health. The annual report from the Michigan League for Human Services provides detailed profiles for Michigan and each of its 83 counties. Counties are ranked on 16 measures of child well-being.

Children age five and younger are more likely to live in poverty than are school-aged children – particularly concerning since research shows that the impact of poverty is most profound and long-lasting during this critical stage of development.

While the Kids Count report documents the significant needs of young children, its release is an opportunity to highlight the community’s response to those needs. First Steps and the Great Start Collaborative are working with many other community partners to develop a coordinated system of support services for young children and their families in Kent County.

“Children’s experiences and environments in their first few years of life have a tremendous impact on their long-term health and success,” said Rebekah Fennell, executive director of First Steps. “There’s no question that the needs of children and families continue to increase. As a community, we are working to make sure that we have the support systems in place to meet those needs and give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential. ”

An adequate supply of diapers costs about $75 a month—simply out of reach for many families.   Local food pantries rarely have enough diapers on their shelves.  One of the agencies that received diapers from the Diaper Drive  tells the story of a pregnant mother who was living in emergency housing with her toddler after leaving an abusive relationship.  She turned to the resource center for help and said the promise of diapers and other support “changed her world.”

Diapers collected by the Great Start Parent Coalition are given to local food pantries and resource centers to distribute to families in need.  People are being asked to drop off unopened packages of disposable diapers at drop boxes around the community, including:  any Walgreens stores or YMCA in Kent County, or any Kent District Library branches.  The Great Start Parent Coalition also will accept monetary donations by check or through PayPal on its website www.diaperdrivekent.org.