NC Child

Are you looking to get involved with NC Child? Join our Child Advocacy Network to become a crucial link between your community and the decision-makers in Raleigh. Your voice, your experiences, and your commitment can help shape policies that touch the lives of all children across our beautiful Tarheel state. Ready to make waves? Here are four impactful ways to get involved with NC Child: 1) Host an Event: Host a local event to raise awareness and gather insights from families in your area or work with our staff to host a fundraiser to support our mission, NC Child will assist in the logistics! 2) Write a Letter: Write a letter to the editor or an op-ed about children’s issues that matter most to your community. 3) Share Your Story: Share your experiences and concerns in a blog or directly with state legislators. 4) I Just Want to Be Involved!: Join our Child Advocacy Network to connect with like-minded individuals and amplify your impact. Your community needs your voice, but North Carolina’s children need your advocacy. Together, we can build a state where every child thrives no matter what their zip code is. Join NC Child today and be the change our families deserve today! https://lnkd.in/dgK9fsyp

Yesterday our Senior Director of Advocacy, Michael Cooper, visited the Trusted Parents summer camp in Charlotte. Trusted Parents was founded by Nikia Bye, one of our Parent Advisory Council members, and provides services and advocacy for children with special needs. The camp runs all summer on the campus of Queens University. The campers yesterday participated in programming including arts & crafts, games, a nature walk, and music therapy. A fun day!

Today our Policy Analyst Cassandra Rycek, MPH was on Capitol Hill meeting with the staffs of congressmen Patrick McHenry (NC-10) and Dan Bishop (NC-8) to deliver updates on the issues facing our children. Thanks for representing NC Child!

Last week, some of our team visited Beaufort County where we attended a Medicaid enrollment event hosted by Care Share Health Alliance. We also stopped by ECU's Brody School of Medicine to learn about a telehealth behavioral program they're doing in local schools.

NC Child Executive Director Erica Palmer Smith was recently on Community Matters discussing the child care crisis and what opportunities we have to enrich the early childhood education landscape in North Carolina. Watch the episode here: https://lnkd.in/eJEGRhez

It's always great to see our friends at TowneBank. Thanks to Carol L. Holland for hosting another great Lunch and Learn for nonprofits in the Triangle!

Our research and community engagement teams were in Cherokee, North Carolina yesterday evening for the second stop on our 2024 Listening Tour! We loved connecting with community members and discussing child health outcomes in Jackson and Swain counties and in the Qualla Boundary. Looking forward to continued engagement out west on this first leg of our 2024 tour!

NC Child was part of the effort to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and we are thrilled that to date over 500,000 North Carolinians have benefitted so far from increased access to coverage. Tomorrow we will be in Belhaven for a lunch and learn event focused on expansion and enrollment. If you live near Beaufort County we'd love to see you tomorrow for the event.

Grab your lunch and tune in to our next Child Advocacy Network Lunch and Learn on July 31 at noon. Experts from our Parent Advisory Council and from Family Support Network of NC will share resources, strategies, and effective ways to support families of children with special needs. Register now! https://lnkd.in/eMQi5dus

Formed in partnership with the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation, the EarlyWell Initiative works with parents and families, health practitioners, care providers, and community leaders to advance public policies that improve social and emotional health for North Carolina's children. Learn more about EarlyWell's priority to increase funding for Reach Out and Read in this new post on our blog! https://lnkd.in/e3aUxExW