With a critical Michigan election season upon us, the Michigan Sandbox Party has joined forces with Michigan’s Children to raise awareness and make children and family issues top priorities in state political campaigns.
 
Michigan’s Children is the only statewide, multi-issue advocacy organization focused solely on public policy in the best interest of children, from cradle to career, and their families.  
 
Founded in 2010 as the action arm of Michigan’s early childhood community, the Sandbox Party – which will now become a project of Michigan’s Children – has expanded its advocacy to children of all ages with early childhood issues remaining an important focus.  The Sandbox Party has also redesigned its outreach and website at www.michigansandboxparty.org to an election-year focus in order to help generate excitement around children’s concerns and drive turnout in the upcoming primaries.
 
“Together, we are creating a powerful network to mobilize greater numbers of  constituents around the 2014 races and help educate voters about what’s at stake for children and families,” said Matt Gillard, President & CEO of Michigan’s Children.  This election year holds races for top jobs in Lansing and Washington D.C., including the Governor’s office, every House and Senate district in Michigan, U.S. Congressional and a pivotal U.S. Senate seat.
 
“Our goal is to engage more Michiganians, encourage them to learn about the candidates in their communities, get involved in the election process, and speak up for children’s issues, Gillard said.
 
“The Sandbox Party will add strength to Michigan’s Children’s already existing network of localized partners connected to programs that serve the state’s most challenged children and families – the same children and families impacted by the policy decisions made in Lansing and in Washington, D.C.,” he said.  “This expanded network of advocates throughout the state can fight for the best interests of children and hold candidates accountable for campaign promises made long after November. And that’s something we all believe is needed now more than ever.”
 
With its new election-focus, the Sandbox Party will first promote awareness around the August 5 primary.  Gillard said voting in primaries is notoriously low, often as low as 10 percent of registered voters, though in many districts primary elections will determine who is ultimately elected into public office.  To counter that, Gillard said it is important that voters understand where these primary candidates stand on issues that matter most to children and families. 
 
The new website will be an easy-to-use tool for individuals to understand the issues at play, the candidates, and how to get involved. Besides offering profiles of candidates and races, visitors to the redesigned michigansandboxparty.org website will be able to look up candidates running for office in their communities, a calendar of appearances by statewide and local candidates in their area, and a variety of other election-related news and information.
 
After the elections, the Sandbox Party website will transition to an outreach and engagement tool for Michigan’s Children’s networks to stay involved in public policy work by holding their elected officials accountable.
 

Children who live in the Kalamazoo Public Schools district will soon have better access to opportunities that will have them ready for kindergarten thanks to a major grant from The Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo.
 
Kalamazoo County Ready 4s, in partnership with the Northside Committee, is receiving $542,412 for an early childhood initiative focusing on 3-year-olds and their families residing in the Northside and Douglas neighborhoods.
 
“We are confident that the work supported by this grant, with measurable impacts, will help change many lives,” says Amy Slancik, community investment officer for The Learning Network at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation
 
According to Tonia Smith, community advocate and co-chair of the Northside Committee, “Connecting with families from the beginning and building relationships will change families and the community. With these grant dollars, we are able to do more proactive work, instead of being reactive. I am so excited for these families, I can’t stop smiling.”
 
The Northside Committee/Kalamazoo County Ready 4s initiative will increase the number of children ready for kindergarten by providing high-quality developmental and educational opportunities. The grant will enable up to 60 3-year-olds to attend half or full-day pre-kindergarten; upgrade and equip facilities; provide transportation; and provide professional development for faculty and staff along with on-site teacher mentors. The grant will also provide additional resources for parenting programs.
 
Desired outcomes for the initiative include: Establish a minimum of two high-quality pre-kindergarten classrooms located in the Northside and Douglas neighborhoods and achieve and maintain high-quality standards in these classrooms. Teachers will effectively implement the adopted curriculum, using research-based, and best-practice instructional strategies in classroom management measured by fall and spring assessments.
 
The Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo, funded by the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, works to create and sustain a culture of learning at home, in school, at work and throughout the community. The vision is to ensure that all children in Kalamazoo County will be ready for school, ready for post-secondary education, ready for a career and ready for the world. Learn more at www.thelearningnetwork.org.