Children's Foundation of Mississippi

10/10/24 is World Mental Health Day! Swipe for more facts & resources for infant and youth mental health in Mississippi. Our state’s future lies in the hands of today’s children, and we must continue to advocate for and provide resources for their mental health and well-being!

Sharing on behalf of our ECC friends, the Hattiesburg Excel by 5 group! Have you seen the School Readiness Calendar for October 2024 yet?! Use this calendar as a guide to help prepare your child for kindergarten. Remember- the adults at home are a child's first teachers!

Did you know that when a family plans for their child’s future by setting aside funds for college, the child is four times more likely to complete a degree? #kidstocollege #mississippi #my529 #childsavingsaccount https://lnkd.in/gct3SqbQ

Please join the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi on Thursday, February 13, 2025, for our 4th annual Summit, “Heart to Hearts: Conversations on the Changing Landscape of Childhood.” The event will be held at the Thad Cochran Center at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. We are thrilled to announce that our Keynote Speaker for the 2025 Summit will be Michael Rich, MD, MPH. Dr. Rich is recognized globally for his acclaimed work as a pediatrician, child health researcher, and children’s media specialist. See second slide for additional program info! The “Early Bird” Registration fee is $75. Beginning November 1, 2024, the registration fee will increase to $85. Registration will close on January 15, 2025. Students enrolled full-time at a postsecondary institution may register for $35. Student tickets are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students must register with a school email address and/or bring a valid student ID to the event for verification. We are in the process of applying for social work and early child care contact/continuing education hours. Registration will begin at 8 AM on the day of the event, and the program will tentatively start at 9 AM. Register now at https://lnkd.in/gHRrYHr5

Sharing on behalf of our ECC friends, the Hattiesburg Excel by 5 group! Have you seen the School Readiness Calendar for September 2024 yet?! Use this calendar as a guide to help prepare your child for kindergarten. Remember- the adults at home are a child's first teachers!

New blog post! Head to https://bit.ly/3yWp2KS to catch up on the ECC team’s work this summer ☀️

Meet our 2024 Summer Research Fellow, Rediet Bayou! Rediet is a graduate student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she is pursuing a degree in Health Policy. To further her understanding of health policy and the impact of research on policymaking, Rediet joined the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi as part of the Winokur Fellowship program. During her time in Jackson, under the guidance of Dr. Linda Southward, she had the opportunity to interview and learn from various stakeholders experienced in working with foster youth. Rediet’s project with the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi is focused on developing a Strategic Research and Development Plan for youth transitioning out of foster care in Mississippi. We loved spending time with Rediet this summer and can’t wait to see her again! Visit our website for Rediet’s full bio and to learn more about our past fellows. 

We’re elated to finally announce that we recently awarded 8 new Early Childhood Council (ECC) planning grants, bringing us to a total of 24 active ECCs! We can't wait to start our work with this new cohort of ECCs and turn the curve for more families and children together. Swipe through to see more maps & a full list of active ECCs! Visit our website for more info on the work we’ve been doing for children and families through our councils.

We celebrated FIVE years of the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi this week! 🎂🎉 We are incredibly grateful for the strives we have made to improve outcomes for children in Mississippi and the amazing partners who have supported us along the way. Here's to many more years of creating brighter and more equitable futures for our youngest Mississippians!💖✨ Thank you for being a part of our journey. We can't wait to see what we can achieve together next!

SAVE THE DATE 🙌🏽 📆 The Children’s Foundation of Mississippi is excited to announce that we will be hosting our FOURTH annual Children’s Summit on February 13, 2025, at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS! We are even more excited to have Dr. Michael Rich as our Keynote Speaker! Through his work, Dr. Rich uses a multidisciplinary approach to work with young people and their families on sustainable approaches to engaging with interactive media and technology. His expertise will provide a road map for raising healthy children in the digital age. Additional Summit programming will include: 💡 The release of the 2025 Mississippi KIDS COUNT Factbook and associated materials 💡 Workshop-style breakout sessions: Healing Hearts: Breaking the Shame Cycle- How to Talk About the Hard Things; United Hearts: Community Resources and Partnerships for Children’s Mental Health; Hearts of Resilience: Nurturing Coping Skills in the Next Generation; Tender Hearts: Navigating Infant Development and Emotional Health; 💡 Keynote-response panel made up of experts and agency heads Registration opens soon! Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter and e-blasts so you can receive the latest news, updates, and info. Visit our website to join the digital mailing list now!