There are more than 487,000 children under the age of 18 currently living in Wayne County. More than half of these children live in families with incomes below the Federal Poverty Level. This is one of many startling statistics that Great Start Collaborative shared with the public in their April 2013 children’s wellbeing report titled, “How Are the Children.”
The reality is clear, that children living within Wayne county and the entire state of Michigan, need the support of community organizations, their own families, educational & political systems, and advocacy organizations and community members alike, if they are to overcome the challenges that accompany poverty.
To this end, The Children’s Center, Wayne County Great Start Collaborative, Michigan’s Children, and the Michigan League for Public Policy are coming together to facilitate a community discussion entitled, “How are the Children:” A Dialogue for Families. In addition to hearing from four Child Policy experts, participants will be encouraged to voice their concerns regarding collaborative solutions to addressing the many issues that accompany poverty, children experiencing trauma and behavioral health challenges, disparities in healthcare, education, and other concerns.
“How Are the Children:” A Dialogue for Families will be held at the Children’s Center Head Start Academy at 19900 Evergreen Rd. in Detroit on October 17th, from 6-7:30 PM. The dialogue will feature the following presenters:
- Dr. Carolynn Rowland; City of Detroit -- Dept. of Health and Wellness Promotion
- Renell Weathers; Michigan League for Public Policy -- State Budget Priorities & Children’s Issues
- Mina Hong; Michigan’s Children -- Engaging in the Elections Process
- Nicole Wells Stallworth; The Children’s Center -- Engaging Community & Elected Leaders
toward Making a Difference.
A large part of our mission at The Children's Center is to help families learn how to advocate for themselves. We are excited about this important collaborative work with the Wayne County Great Start Collaborative led by Toni Hartke, The Michigan League for Public Policy, and Michigan’s Children who have been in the trenches of working with communities and families on behalf of what’s in the best interests of children”, explained Debora Matthews, Children's Center CEO.
Parents, families, city residents, senior citizens, educators, and child advocates are encouraged to attend and learn more about how we can collaboratively improve the quality of life for children living within our region. We believe every child should be offered the opportunity to reach their fullest potential”, added Nicole Wells Stallworth, Director of Community Engagement & Government Affairs at The Children’s Center.