The Great Start Parent Coalition is a great support for our community!  Comprised of parents, grandparents, and caregivers, the year old group has already made an impact on the families of our youngest learners!  Our mission is to inspire a family focused community that invests in the development and needs of ALL Clinton County children.  This will be achieved through nurturing, educating, informing, and supporting strong communication networks.  The Parent Coalition has lived out our mission by participating in events like:  the Healthy Family Fair in October; co-hosting a community forum on how to make our young children a priority for Clinton, Ingham, Eaton, and Shiawassee Counties; participating in the Family Fit Fest on April 30; and attending area Kindergarten round ups and Preschool registrations to build awareness of early childhood programs in our county.

With the upcoming Fall elections, the Parent Coalition is keeping early childhood in the forefront of voters’ and legislators’ minds.  Star Power Day at the Capitol is planned for May 19.  This is an exciting day for parents, educators, child care workers, doctors, and business leaders to celebrate the importance of early childhood investment.  In addition, a candidate forum is being planned by the coalition for early summer!  This will provide our community an opportunity to meet and discuss important issues with our legislative candidates.  Finally, the Breslin Center at MSU is the location of an early childhood convention on July 14 where our coalition and community will gather for a rousing day of sharing excitement and devotion to early childhood. 

The Parent Coalition is always looking for parents with children 0-12 years old who want to grow, learn, lead, and support the community.  For more information in joining the coalition or attending Star Power Day, contact Maria Cook, Great Start Parent Liaison, at 989-224-6831 ext. 428 or at mcook@ccresa.org.