Policy Priorities There were several meetings this month related to finalizing our policy priorities, culminating in our Third Quarter Membership Meeting, where the 2020 Policy Priorities were shared by each workgroup. The workgroups also began initial stakeholder analyses of their top priorities to assist staff as we begin to engage stakeholders on each issue. The…
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by Lauri Choate, Director of Wellness Initiatives, Child Care Aware of Missouri Vivian Collins owns a family child care programs in St. Louis County. She sees the problems of early childhood obesity each day. Children are too often more interested in playing with electronics than being outside playing with each other. And convenience foods, such…
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by Megan Whitehead, Media Coordinator, Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare I’ll start with the obvious: Suicide is a big issue. According to SAMHSA and the Missouri Department of Mental Health (MO DMH), it’s the tenth leading cause of death in Missouri and the U.S. More startling, it’s the second leading cause of death among…
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As we enter Fall and our priorities begin to take shape for 2020, Kids Win team members spent a lot of time in August planning and meeting with key stakeholders to continue priority development and discussions around advocacy and implementation. Members from the Missouri Finish Line Collaborative (Kids Win Missouri, the Missouri Budget Project, and…
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Anne Silea, Director of Community Engagement, Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments Did you know that 80 to 90% of what you learn …. you learn by looking? While most people know that children learn more quickly during their early years than at any other time in life, not everyone knows how critical…
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by Missy Riley, Director of Early Childhood and Parents As Teachers, Springfield Public Schools Is My Child Ready? As we approach the start of the school year, one question comes to mind for parents across Missouri: “Is my child ready for Kindergarten?”. The topic of school readiness is something that has been at the center…
Read More Kids Win Missouri has spent the summer visiting communities around the state, sharing information about our organization and our priorities, hearing from advocates on issues affecting children around the state and working with partners to develop policy strategies for the 2020 Legislative Session. Here are some of the highlights: Travels in June Visiting St. Louis…
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by Jonathan Barry, Program Director, No Kid Hungry Missouri With continued low unemployment rates and generally positive economic forecasts, it is easy to forget that there are still many families in Missouri who struggle to make ends meet. Nearly half (48.98%) of all children eating at school in Missouri are eligible for a free or…
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Across Missouri, schools are out, but kids still need a place to go and things to do. Many school districts, community-based organizations and faith-based organizations throughout the state are stepping up this summer to provide children with a space to be and families with peace of mind. As part of National Summer Learning Week,…
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Casey Hanson, Kids Win Missouri’s Director of Outreach and Engagement I am no stranger to Kids Win Missouri as a member for the last 4 years, but I am very pleased to join the organization in my new role as Director of Outreach and Engagement. I’ve been in the trenches alongside many of you over…
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