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Dear Friends of Ready Ready,
When families can’t find high-quality, affordable child care, the economy suffers. A new study by ReadyNation puts that cost at $122 billion. Yes, billion with a "B." The researchers added up lost earnings, lost productivity, and lost revenue for U.S. parents, businesses, and taxpayers to reach that staggering number, which has more than doubled since 2018.
The same study shows that 85 percent of primary caregivers reported problems with child care impacted their efforts or time commitment at work – more than 25 percent of them were reprimanded, and nearly 25 percent were fired. Families shoulder most of this burden, according to ReadyNation, losing $78 billion in lost earnings and job search expenses.
At the same time, productivity problems hurt employers too. When their workforce faces child care challenges, employers lose $23 billion annually, and taxpayers lose $21 billion each year in lower federal and state/local tax revenue.
The economic impact might feel a bit far away as we live our daily lives in Guilford County. But this growing crisis hurts our economy much closer to home, affecting the 6,000 children born here each year. The study suggests this infant-toddler child care crisis damages the future workforce by depriving children of nurturing and stimulating environments that support healthy brain development while their parents work.
 Science shows us 80 percent of brain growth happens in the first three years of a child’s life when more than a million neural connections are formed every second. Healthy brain development sets the foundation children need for social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and communication growth, so they are ready for school.
The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation (NCECF) published a study a few months ago that states nearly half of North Carolina families live in a child care desert – where there aren’t enough licensed child care facilities. The same study identified four areas in North Carolina where improved child care availability and affordability are needed – and one of them is the Piedmont-Triad.
Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) has begun a project with UNC-G’s EQuIPD and N.C. A&T State University to help child care centers build a better business model to attract and develop top talent, provide professional development, and reduce turnover. Your support of our mission, along with informing your state representatives of the need for early childhood investment, can help us solve the child care crisis.
Sincerely,
Charrise Hart
CEO
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Parent leadership training kickoff
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Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) supports parent leadership through our Guilford Parent Leader Network (GPLN) and leadership development such as Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI). COFI is a three-phase system to develop leaders and help parents build organizations that make a difference in their community.
On February 11, the most recent COFI Phase 1 graduates held a kick off meeting to begin COFI phase 2. They have named themselves the "Overcomers." This module helps parent teams broaden their scope and begin to work within their greater communities. They will learn to build relationships with other community residents and organizations, conduct door-to-door community assessments, and launch action campaigns.
Facilitators Eugene Penn and Katina Allen, along with fellow GPLN steering committee members Airriea Pierce, Nicole Peoples and Erika Tart, joined Melissa Little and Yolanda and Olalekan Ikazboh for the meeting. Parent Liaison Sanaa Sharrieff and Family Engagement Manager Yuri Alston served as support staff for the event.
COFI Phase 2 training includes five parent workshops, with instructions for taking parent leaders through the outreach process and helping them prepare for a town hall meeting, a campaign launch or action.
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The Guilford Parent Leader Network (GPLN) is an integral part of the decision-making structure for Ready for School, Ready for Life. Families who participate are valued consultants, partners, and change agents who work on priorities that are important to their own families and other families in Guilford County. Would you like to join other parents/caregivers of children from prenatal to age 8?
We gather on the third Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, March 20, 2023. We are currently holding these meetings via Zoom. When meetings resume in person, we provide child care to alleviate barriers to participation.
If you’d like to attend or want more information, please contact Yuri Alston, Family Engagement Manager, at (336) 579-2977 ext. 2008 or yuria@getreadyguilford.org.
The GPLN has also launched Fathers Ready to Grow, with 16 dads signed up to network and offer support to each other. If you’d like more information on joining, please contact yuria@getreadyguilford.org.
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How has the GPLN helped parent leaders?
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GPLN Steering Committee member Airreia Piece talks about the power of networking with other parents.
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Watch this short video.
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CEO Charrise Hart presents at UNC-Pembroke
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Ready Ready CEO Charrise Hart participated in a panel discussion about the North Carolina Early Childhood Action Plan as part of The Hunt Institute and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Southeastern Regional Convening. The event focused on local data-informed strategic planning, and was held at UNC-Pembroke on February 2, 2023.
Hart and Dr. Jessica Lowery Clark, the executive director of the Robeson County Partnership for Children spoke about the 2018 N.C. Early Childhood Action Plan and how it could inform strategic planning in local communities.
The plan centers on three themes: that North Carolina’s young children are healthy, grow up safe and nurtured, and are well supported to be learning and ready to succeed.
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Basics Guilford tips from the heart shared on Fox8
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Ready Ready's Literacy Coordinator Megan LeFaivre shared science-based tips about the Basic Guilford's Maximize Love, Manage Stress for Valentine's Day. She was interviewed on Fox 8 WGHP.
The Basics Guilford are five easy, science-based concepts born at Harvard that any adult can do to boost baby and toddler brain growth. Science shows us that 80 percent of brain growth happens up to age three, so these are critical years. Infants and toddlers thrive when their world seems loving, safe, and predictable. When we, as parents or caregivers, express love and respond to their needs, children learn they can count on their grownups. Learn more about the Basics Guilford tips she shared on our website.
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Basic Guilford Focus: Read and discuss stories
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One of the nicest things about carving out time to read with your child is slowing life down to enjoy a good book. Take the time to introduce a new book to the baby or toddler in your life by examining the outside of the book. Talk about the cover pictures, read the title, and ask your child what they think the book might be about. For an older child, you could also point out the author and talk about other books you might both enjoy by that same author. This ritual helps children begin to understand more about books early in life and develop a strong vocabulary.
With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, we found a few book suggestions via ReadBrightly.com to help you Read and Discuss Stories! Most libraries also maintain a special section just for holiday books so stop by and check out what is available at the library nearest you just for St. Paddy’s Day.
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Help us spread the word about Basics Insights free texts
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Get science-based insights to boost your child's brain development. No app needed. No monthly fee! Monday’s texts tell you a scientific fact that’s happening with your child’s development, and Wednesday’s text gives you an idea for an activity to do with them.
These messages are customized for the age of your child and will help you support your baby's growth during the critical years of 0-3. Click here to opt in.
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Would you like to be trained in The Basics Guilford?
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As we share information about the Basics across Guilford County, we need your help. We’re offering training, virtually or in person, on the Basics for teams of five 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.
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Staff Profile: Jacqueline McCracken
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Vice President of Strategic Impact Jacqueline McCracken joined Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) in February 2022 and has recently celebrated her first anniversary. In her role, she oversees and manages Ready Ready’s priority areas of data and performance, integrated data system, and the network. The latter is comprised of navigation, prenatal to three
strategies, continuous quality improvement, and community alignment.
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Partner Spotlight: GuilfordWorks
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GuilfordWorks is a public-private organization that helps businesses with various workforce needs, such as locating, screening, selecting, or training workers. Executive Director Dr. Danielle Harrison explains that while the City of Greensboro may be her employer, the organization offers services throughout Guilford County.
“We offer various services to career seekers and employers,” Harrison said. “Our career centers help connect the workforce with career opportunities, offer career advice and candidate resources, and free resume feedback and makeovers. For employers, we offer talent engagement services, help businesses upskill their workers, and provide incentives for that training. It’s a workforce ecosystem.”
GuilfordWorks recognizes that creating skilled and successful workers starts early. In 2022, the organization launched the NCWorks Emerging Workforce Career Center in downtown Greensboro. “This center is designed for 16- to 24-year-olds,” Harrison said. “We all know that people, especially our younger populations, learn based on experiences. If we expose our young adults to career information and teach them the life skills they need, they will be more successful when they enter the workforce.”
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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.
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