11.06.2009 - 

The Birth-to-Five Coalition of Monroe County officially launched this month with support from the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, United Way of Monroe County, and the Smithville Charitable Foundation. The Coalition was formed around the idea that every child deserves a “smart start” in life, and so will work to “increase the skills of parents, caregivers, and the community to maximize our children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive potential for success in school and in life.”  

The Coalition Steering Committee announced that Lois Hutter-Pishgahi will serve as Coordinator. Lois brings to this position a depth of experience in both direct service and best practices research related to early childhood, a wealth of community connections, strong facilitation and planning skills, and an expertise in engaging diverse people. Initially, her focus will be to establish relationships with a variety of organizations, businesses and individuals, and work with them to develop strategies for reaching our target audiences.

Every child deserves a strong start in life, and the Coalition aims to benefit all babies and young children in Monroe County. This focus on the Birth-to-Five population is supported by decades of research that underscore the linkages between early childhood development and success in school and life. There are several benefits of investing in the formative years of life:

·         Birth to five is the period in which most brain development occurs.

·         Children are more likely to succeed in school and contribute positively to society later in life if they are supported in developing cognitive and language abilities, motor skills, social-emotional functioning, and adaptive skills during the first five years of life.

·         Quality early learning can help children enter kindergarten ready to learn.

·         Children who are behind when they enter school are unlikely to catch up academically.

·         Children who lag behind in school are more likely to drop out of school, commit crimes, and seek government assistance.

·         In contrast, research shows that early learning is associated with reductions in crime, delinquency, grade repetition, and welfare dependency along with increased educational achievement, employment, productivity, and earnings.

According to Shari Woodbury, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, “Agencies, donors, and community leaders helped us identify education as the area to invest in to overcome – and prevent – long-term challenges in the community, and ensure a high quality of life for all. We are pleased to dedicate discretionary grant funds and other support to the Birth-to-Five Coalition, recognizing that there is potential for a tremendous return on investment in the first five years of life.”

United Way of Monroe County joined the Community Foundation to gather input for a local focus on the earliest years of life, study models of success from other communities, and invest in the pilot period with grant support from the Indiana Association of United Ways and Lilly Endowment. According to Barry Lessow, United Way Executive Director, “We know that people can be successful when they have all three building blocks of opportunity – a good education, stable earnings, and life’s essentials. United Way’s success with Born Learning made it clear forming this Coalition with the Community Foundation and other partners was the next step to ensuring that all children enter school ready to learn. That’s a key component to improving people’s lives.”

This new Birth-to-Five Coalition initiative is a county-wide effort that will focus on current and prospective services to parents and young children in the Bloomington, Ellettsville, New Unionville, Smithville, and Stinesville areas. It will provide:

• A means for ongoing communication and coordination among service providers that work with young children and their parents;
• A platform for involving diverse community stakeholders needed to make the biggest difference, including parents, employers, clergy, and grassroots groups;
• Facilitation of strategic planning and partnerships to build on our community’s strengths and address its gaps;
• Promotion of public awareness about the importance of the first five years of life, and how parents and the community can help children get the best start;
• A voice with policy-makers to advocate for wise investments in young children and their families; and
• Dedicated staff with both the content knowledge and leadership skills to develop and sustain the Coalition.

The Coalition’s goals will guide its work:

Short Term:

·         Citizens in Monroe County are familiar with the essential need to support learning and development in children birth to five

·         Programs that support children birth-to-five are supported financially

·         Mothers are receiving necessary prenatal care and support to deliver healthy babies

·         Children are being immunized at higher rates 

·         Children are beginning kindergarten with the essential skills needed to be successful

Medium Term:

·         Children are experiencing academic success

·         Children are socially competent

·         Graduation rates are increased

Long Term:

·         Monroe County citizens are successfully prepared for employment

·         Job productivity is increased

·         Community engagement and volunteerism are increased

·         Monroe County citizens are self-sufficient

According to Hutter-Pishgahi, “The Community Foundation and United Way share a commitment to helping support the coalition during the three-year pilot period. It will take the involvement of our whole community to make this successful – from parents and business leaders to non-profit agencies, faith communities and grassroots groups. A variety of opportunities are being developed for getting involved – from serving as a member of the steering committee or specific work groups, to community forums or volunteering your time, talents or monetary contributions.”

When asked why she is investing and why other business leaders, parents, and community members should get involved, Darby McCarty, Smithville Charitable Foundation, said, “The Smithville Charitable Foundation is pleased to join the Birth-to-Five Coalition as an investor and partner because we know that the development of young children is vital.”

To contact the Coordinator or be added to the Coalition’s contact list, please call (812) 345-6843 or send a message to lois@monroesmartstart.org