The Burke Foundation

🙌 As we close out 2024 with our final #StartingEarly newsletter, we’re proud to spotlight our Community Champions — extraordinary leaders whose transformative work supports families during the critical early years.   This year, we celebrate four exceptional changemakers on the frontlines of service delivery and systems transformation for young children and their families:   ⭐ Lisa Asare, President and CEO, New Jersey Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority (NJMIHIA). With over 20 years of public service experience, Lisa tackles complex policy challenges rooted in systemic inequities. She champions the power of community voices, ensuring those closest to the issues guide the solutions.   ⭐ Robyn D'Oria, CEO, CENTRAL JERSEY FAMILY HEALTH CONSORTIUM. Robyn’s passion helped launch Family Connects NJ, a statewide initiative offering home nurse visits shortly after birth. Her leadership inspires others and advances community-centered nursing to connect families with essential services.   ⭐ Craig Garfield, Attending Physician, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Professor, Northwestern University - The Feinberg School of Medicine. Craig is a tireless advocate for fathers, elevating their critical role in family well-being. His work challenges norms and ensures dads receive the support they need to thrive alongside their families.   ⭐ Khaatim Sherrer El, Executive Director, Clinton Hill Community Action. Khaatim leads efforts to revitalize the Clinton Hill neighborhood in Newark through innovative, community-driven initiatives like a state-of-the-art child care center and a resident-run grocery store. His approach empowers families and builds pathways to opportunity.   📩 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 about these leaders and their catalytic impact in our latest newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ebV3Vq4D Let’s continue to uplift and celebrate those working tirelessly to create brighter futures for families. 🌟

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines affordable child care as costing no more than 7% of a family's annual income—yet in New Jersey, many families pay more than twice that, with some of the lowest-paid families spending up to 30% of their income on care. Too often, child care is framed as a personal challenge, when in reality, it’s a policy failure. New Jersey families deserve better support. This week, NJ’s first Democratic and Republican gubernatorial primary debates offered candidates a platform to share their vision for solving the state’s child care crisis. While some Democratic candidates acknowledged the struggles of working parents, neither debate directly addressed child care solutions —leaving thousands of families without real answers. This was a missed opportunity for candidates to speak directly to the urgent challenges facing working parents and families in our state. Beyond being essential for families, affordable, high-quality child care is an economic necessity—helping parents stay in the workforce, strengthening businesses, and fueling economic growth. When families can access reliable care, employers retain talent, productivity increases, and communities thrive. As we approach this year’s elections, The First 1,000 Days Policy Coalition is committed to elevating child care as a top policy issue—ensuring that every candidate puts forward real, substantive solutions to fix this crisis. Watch both debates here: Democratic primary debate: https://lnkd.in/gH_pC6xj Republican primary debate: https://lnkd.in/gyVhwdPB Moms First, Rutgers University - Center for Women and Work, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, NJAEYC, NEW JERSEY CITIZEN ACTION EDUCATION FUND INC, Maher Charitable Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Turrell Fund, Schumann Fund for New Jersey, HENRY & MARILYN TAUB FOUNDATION Steve Adubato #ChildCareCrisis #WorkingFamilies #EarlyChildhood #FamilyPolicy #InvestInKids #NJPolitics #Election2025 #TheFirst1000Days #ChildCare #EconomicGrowth #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork

“We have a lot of work to do as Americans to rebuild the bonds of solidarity and connection that we not only have with one another but also with future generations.” – Joe Waters, CEO, Capita For a recent issue of Starting Early, we spoke with Joe Waters, CEO of Capita, about what it really takes to support families. Too often, policies are created from the top down—without fully understanding what families actually need. Take child care, for example. While many assume subsidies are the best solution, research shows that many working-class parents prefer financial flexibility. That could mean staying home longer with their children, relying on relatives, or adjusting work hours to spend more time with their kids. If we want families to thrive, we need to start by listening—and designing policies that reflect the realities of their lives. Joe also pointed out that many support programs remain too fragmented, making it harder for families to get the help they need. Instead of a patchwork of services, we should focus on solutions that are flexible, well-coordinated, and truly responsive to everyday challenges. His takeaway was simple but powerful: when we put families first, we build stronger, healthier communities for everyone. ➡️ Read more from our deep-dive conversation with Joe: https://lnkd.in/eeMPmFyJ

🌟 “Core to the success of who we are and what we’ve been able to do is the trust we’ve built within the community.” – Khaatim Sherrer El, Executive Director, Clinton Hill Community Action We’re proud to recognize Khaatim Sherrer El as a 2024 Burke Foundation Community Champion! A Newark native, Khaatim leads Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA), a community development organization dedicated to revitalizing the Clinton Hill neighborhood through resident-led engagement and equitable development. By centering community voices, CHCA is tackling housing, environmental justice, and food security while creating essential neighborhood resources. Under Khaatim’s leadership, the organization has: ✅ Established a child care center to provide high-quality, accessible child care so families can thrive. ✅ Launched a resident-run grocery store, serving as a mutual aid hub to combat food insecurity and promote nutrition. ✅ Incorporated community voices to develop the first Neighborhood Plan for Upper Clinton Hill. Trust and collaboration are at the heart of CHCA’s work—ensuring that solutions are community-driven, sustainable, and responsive to local needs. Khaatim’s leadership and commitment to systemic change are creating real pathways to opportunity for families in Newark. 🔗 Join us in celebrating Khaatim’s impact and read more from our conversation: https://lnkd.in/eabP4G7f

🌟“Research shows that the more involved you are early on — particularly the father — the more involved you are when the baby’s 9 months old, too. In our work from PRAMS for Dads, we have data that dads who are involved and supportive of breastfeeding are more likely to have partners who breastfeed for longer.” – Dr. Craig Garfield, Attending Physician, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago We are thrilled to spotlight 2024 Burke Foundation Community Champion Dr. Craig Garfield for his groundbreaking contributions to family and child health. With over 25 years of experience as a pediatrician, Dr. Garfield leads the Family & Child Health Innovations Program at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, focusing on the often-overlooked role of fathers in child development. Dr. Garfield’s visionary leadership drove the expansion of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) to include fathers and non-birth partners—a historic first by the CDC to understand paternal experiences during the critical first year postpartum. As of early 2025, PRAMS for Dads is active in eight states, including New Jersey, thanks to a partnership with the NJ Department of Health and the Burke Foundation. Beyond advocacy, Dr. Garfield has developed a dedicated app to support fathers of infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), helping them engage meaningfully during these formative moments. His work exemplifies his conviction that "children thrive when families thrive." Join us in celebrating Dr. Garfield’s impactful work, which bridges direct patient care with systemic change to advance family-centered healthcare. 🔗 Read more from our recent conversation: https://lnkd.in/eSEV9K84

✨ 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥? Kick off 2025 with Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change featuring Dr. Junlei Li—Harvard professor, author, researcher, and co-author of the Burke Foundation report 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩: 𝘈 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 (https://lnkd.in/g_JrDSdx). Dr. Li will reflect on the power of simple, everyday interactions in nurturing hope, resilience, and connection for children and families, especially in challenging times. In conversation with Brazelton Touchpoints Center Executive Director Joshua Sparrow, this session is a reminder of the extraordinary impact caregivers, educators, and helping professionals can have through ordinary moments. 📅 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟵𝘁𝗵 🕒 𝟯 𝗣𝗠 𝗘𝗧 | 𝟭𝟮 𝗣𝗠 𝗣𝗧 Let’s explore how small, relational practices can build brighter futures for the children in our care. 👉 Register now to join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/eTxzahid #EarlyRelationalHealth #caregivers #earlylearning #parenting #children

Today's #StartingEarly tackles the critical need to build bridges and take bold action to support families and young children in New Jersey and beyond. Programs like nurse home visits, expanded paid family leave, and universal pre-K aren't just policies—they’re lifelines that strengthen families and create a more equitable future.   This issue also explores how efforts like these are gaining traction, thanks to champions on both sides of the aisle. Future Caucus, led by Layla Zaidane, is a bipartisan group of young state legislators that’s leading the charge to advance forward-thinking policies that prioritize children and families, showing that shared values can overcome political divides.   We also spoke with Joe Waters, CEO of Capita, who shares his vision for a child-centric society and the systemic reforms needed to prioritize families. We agree with Joe — now is the time to bridge divides, align values, and push for policies that give every child a fair shot at success. Look out next week for a deeper dive with Joe.   Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e5AfabEB And subscribe to receive future issues of Starting Early: https://lnkd.in/gupUwZGr

🌟 “I learned very quickly that we had no idea of the challenges and vulnerabilities families had in New Jersey outside the hospital walls.” – Robyn D’Oria, CEO, Central Jersey Family Health Consortium🌟 We are delighted to highlight 2024 Burke Foundation Community Champion Robyn D'Oria. Robyn trained as a labor and delivery nurse and dedicated the first half of her career to the acute care setting and teaching nursing. The second half has been leading CENTRAL JERSEY FAMILY HEALTH CONSORTIUM, using her skills to ensure the health and well-being of families. Robyn played a pivotal role in piloting the Family Connects NJ Universal Home Visiting program, which offers in-home nursing support to families with newborns, foster children, or those who have experienced stillbirths. The vital program bridges the gaps between prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum periods, ensuring families from all walks of life receive necessary resources, referrals, and support, regardless of their circumstances. Robyn emphasizes the importance of culturally and linguistically appropriate care, noting that about 50% of families served require language assistance. She carefully nurtured a skilled team of nurse home visitors, collaborated with the Trenton Health Team to raise community awareness of the pilot program, and used her leadership platform to share valuable lessons learned. Robyn’s work deeply inspires us and serves as a model for community-centered nursing. Join us in celebrating Robyn’s work and read more from our recent conversation: https://lnkd.in/gHAqKVwH Family Connects International #HomeVisiting #Nursing

The arrival of your baby can bring joy into your home, but also lots of questions. Family Connects International NJ is a program that connects parents with a specially trained nurse for a personalized follow up visit at home within the first two weeks after a child’s birth. Visits are offered to all families at no cost, regardless of income, insurance or immigration status. Family Connects NJ already operates in Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, and Middlesex counties. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, the program has expanded to six more counties: Bergen, Hudson, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset & Sussex. Learn more and sign up at FamilyConnectsNJ.org.

🌟 Burke Foundation News! 🌟 We’re thrilled to announce that Renée Nogales has been promoted to Director of Programs at the Burke Foundation! 🎉 In her previous role as Senior Program Officer, Renée made remarkable strides in advancing our relationship-centered grantmaking to improve maternal and infant health. Her accomplishments include: 👶 Scaling community doula programs 👩⚕️ Introducing evidence-based models like 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 and 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 to New Jersey 🤰 Expanding 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 and 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 group-based healthcare These efforts have created a continuum of trusted community support for families that now serves as a state model. Renée also brings exceptional expertise in leveraging data to drive strategy and measure impact. Her leadership in analyzing key health indicators has sharpened our focus on 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀, a critical marker with far-reaching health implications for mothers and babies. This focus has become a cornerstone of Burke Foundation’s program investments. This well-deserved promotion recognizes Renée’s extraordinary contributions and her ability to lead transformative, collaborative efforts that create lasting change for children and families in New Jersey. 👏 Please join us in congratulating Renée on her new role! 👏 #Leadership #MaternalHealth #InfantHealth