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July 2022 

Dear Friends of Ready Ready,

You are probably aware our mission is to build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families. The first phase of our work was designed to help parents and caregivers with children – from prenatal care to age three.

Starting at the earliest point in a child’s life helps get them ready for a great start in life. But this system of care must look beyond pregnancy and birth to offer ongoing resources, information, and support for their families. Supporting families in our community will allow children to have the food, housing, and safety they need to form the secure, nurturing, and trauma-free relationships necessary for healthy development.

The first few years in a child’s life are critical for their brain architecture - to create the one million neural connections formed every second. These early experiences build a strong foundation for learning, health, and behavior.

Guilford County is considered a great place to raise a family, but we must acknowledge that not all families have the same access to resources. For too long, we have put the burden on families to take the parenting journey alone. It’s critical that we take this journey together for the sake of our children and their future.

That is why Ready Ready starts with a focus on children prenatally, but our system of care is designed to support children up to age 8 when they are growing and learning in school.

Strong communities start with strong families. Investing in our youngest children’s future pays off for all of us. Babies grow up healthier, parents have more opportunities, communities are more connected, and our economy flourishes. 

Thank you for your support and dedication to our viewpoint: every child deserves a great start in life, but not every child starts from the same place.

Sincerely,


Charrise Hart
CEO

We're excited to share our 2021 Impact Report.

Inside you'll find updates on our six priorities as we build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County's youngest children and their families. From stories about the positive effects for families, to data reflecting referrals and outreach, to information about our board and funders, this report shows how we are working to create population-level change.
Read the report on our website (downloadable PDF)
Read the report in an online flipbook

Family Voices

Our Guilford Parent Leader Network (GPLN) will hold a Mix n’ Mingle outdoor event on July 17, 2022. It’s a chance for parent leaders to connect in person and meet the new GPLN Steering Committee members. For more information, please contact yuria@getreadyguilford.org.

Ready Ready and the GPLN will launch a father’s only group: Fathers Ready to Grow. If you’d like more information, please contact yuria@getreadyguilford.org.

Join our parent leaders

Would you like to join the Guilford Parent Leader Network? We gather on the third Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, July 18, 2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hold these meetings via Zoom. When meetings resume in person, we provide child care to alleviate barriers to participation. 

For more information, please contact Yuri Alston, Family Engagement Manager, at (336) 579-2977 ext. 2008 or yuria@getreadyguilford.org.

The Basics Guilford: Talk, Sing, and Point

Every time you talk, sing or point to what you are talking about, you provide clues to the meaning of what you are saying. You are providing important information to your child’s brain about how language works. As your child develops, talking with them and answering their questions is a way to teach them about the world. You will also get to know the fascinating person they are becoming!
 
Tips for infants:
  • Ask and Answer Questions: Engage your baby by asking and answering questions about the things that interest them. “Does the ball fit into the tube?” Wait to see how they respond. Then help provide the answer. “No, it’s too big.”
  • Point to Objects: Point to objects and name them, especially things that interest your child, like body parts or familiar objects around the home. Older infants will also start to communicate by pointing.
  • Follow Their Interests: Your baby shows you what they’re interested in by looking or reaching. If it’s safe, move those objects closer so your baby can examine them. Name them and describe their features.
Tips for toddlers:
  • Out and About: Errands — from the post office to the pharmacy — teach your child about the community and the people in it. Talk about the tasks involved. If you’re not in a hurry, lift your child so they can see behind the counter.
  • I Spy: Play I Spy. For example, say, “I spy a bird. Can you find it?” If they have trouble finding it, give a hint about where to look. You can play I Spy almost anywhere.
  • Follow Their Fingers: Young toddlers communicate with gestures, especially pointing. Label and talk about the things they point to. Encourage your child to point to the objects you name. “Where is the pig. There it is.”
You can learn some great information about this Basic in 30 seconds by watching this video!
The Basics are five fun, science-based parenting and caregiving concepts that anyone can do. Learn more about them at www.guilfordbasics.org.

Would you like to be trained in The Basics Guilford?

As we share information about the Basics across Guilford County, we need your help. We’re offering virtual training on the Basics for teams of three or more at organizations that interact with young children. Each session lasts 30-45 minutes. To schedule a training session or learn more about Ready Ready and the Basics Guilford, please contact Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre at meganl@getreadyguilford.org.

Staff profile: Mollie Blafer

Network Data and Systems Specialist Mollie Blafer planned to focus on early childhood education as a college student but found herself drawn to sociology and switching majors for her undergraduate degree. After earning her M.Ed. in College Student Personnel Administration, she settled into advising college students on their academic and career goals.
 
“I worked in the service learning office during grad school and loved working with the nonprofits I was connecting our students to,” Blafer said. “When I learned about Ready Ready, the opportunity felt like a great blend of all the skills I gained, my interest in early childhood education, and preparing people to put their best foot forward.”
 
Read Mollie's full profile on our website.

Partner Spotlight: Greensboro Bound

Greensboro Bound’s vision is to bring outstanding writers of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and children’s books to our community and into our schools. While it may be best known for the annual Greensboro Bound Literary Festival, the organization’s efforts to connect authors and Guilford County Schools students are highly praised.
 
“We find local authors, North Carolina authors, and diverse authors and bring these authors virtually now to our students,” said Natalie Strange, Director of Library Media Services at Guilford County Schools and a member of Greensboro Bound’s leadership team. “We also provide books for our school libraries that accompany these author visits.”
 
Guilford County students have the opportunity to read the text, then submit questions to the author. During the virtual visit, the author and students have great conversations about the topics, themes, and more. Greensboro Bound also creates lesson plans with each title so school library media coordinators can incorporate them.
 
Traditionally, these author visits have been offered to students in kindergarten through grade 12. But in the 2021-22 school year, a partnership with Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) helped create a new opportunity for children in Pre-K.
 
Read the full Partner Spotlight on our website

Grants awarded

We are grateful for support from funders who believe in our mission to build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families. Recently a number of foundations have awarded grants for this important work.
  • The Edward M. Armfield Sr. Foundation has pledged $200,000 over three years beginning in 2023 to support Ready Ready’s operations.
  • The Foundation for a Healthy High Point has provided a grant of $35,000 for operational support.
  • The Hillsdale Fund has awarded a $50,000 grant for general operating expenses in a two-year commitment.
  • The Leon Levine Foundation has presented a $100,000 grant for operations in a one-year gift.
  • The VF Foundation has awarded Ready Ready $75,000 for early literacy initiatives as part of its five-year commitment to our work.

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Our mission
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) is a collaborative effort to build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families.

Equity Statement
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) promotes equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion, which are woven through our mission, values, and principles. We stand against racism in all of its forms. Ready Ready will work with our community to address the structural inequities that drive disparate child and family outcomes and work towards an environment where equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion are core values. When we are working to address these structural inequities, Ready Ready will be bold in our actions.


When Guilford County Black and Indigenous children and families of color (BIPOC) feel welcomed, heard, respected, safe, supported, and valued, all of our community and our society benefit.
Copyright © 2022 Ready for School, Ready for Life, All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
P.O. Box 13844
Greensboro, NC, 27415

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