NEWS

NEWARK, N.J.— New Jersey has been selected as one of six states to take part in the Think Babies campaign, supported by national early childhood advocacy group ZERO TO THREE. The five other states selected include Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island, and Washington.

The Think Babies campaign is designed to bring national attention to the many issues that affect what babies and families need to thrive. Key campaign priorities include: quality, affordable child care; time for parents to bond with their babies; healthy emotional development; and strong physical health and nutrition.

In each of the six states selected, a leading children’s advocacy organization has been chosen to direct the Think Babies campaign at the state and local levels. Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) was chosen as New Jersey’s advocacy organization.

“We are delighted to partner with ZERO TO THREE to help make the goals of Think Babies a reality for children and families in our state,” said Cecilia Zalkind, President and CEO of ACNJ. “The selection of New Jersey is a testament to the great collaborative work already going on in the state from a strong group of funders and organizations pushing for better outcomes for our children.”

Among the initial activities in the Think Babies campaign will be New Jersey’s “Strolling Thunder” event on May 21, 2018, which will bring families and early childhood advocates from across the state to Trenton to remind policymakers that success for our children begins at birth. This event is modeled after ZERO TO THREE’s national Strolling Thunder, which will be held earlier in May in Washington D.C. 

During the selection process, ZERO TO THREE looked for states that already had aligned funders from more than one source pursuing enhancements in early childhood care and education.  In New Jersey, organizations including The Nicholson Foundation, the Turrell Fund, the Schumann Fund for New Jersey, the Maher Foundation, and the Taub Foundation have been prominent funders of early childhood initiatives.  The groups have increasingly collaborated in recent years, with The Nicholson Foundation and the Turrell Fund launching the “Right From The Start NJ” campaign in 2017 to inform parents and policymakers on the importance of the birth-to-three years.

ACNJ will work closely with ZERO TO THREE in the coming months to develop and implement campaigns that advance policies benefiting infants and toddlers. Areas of focus will include:

• Increasing access to affordable, quality child care for infants and toddlers;
• Strengthening New Jersey’s paid family leave policies providing full or partial replacement of wages after birth or adoption;
• Increasing access to infant and early childhood mental health services;
• Increasing access to voluntary, evidence-based home visiting for families with infants and toddlers;
• Increasing access to child and family screenings, supports and linkages to needed services; and,
• Increasing access to healthy nutrition and obesity prevention initiatives for infants and toddlers.

“At the end of the day, this campaign is really about making sure that New Jersey is a place where families want to live and raise their children,” said Zalkind.  

The public is encouraged to visit www.acnj.org today to learn more about Think Babies and to participate in Strolling Thunder New Jersey.

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About Advocates for Children of New Jersey: Advocates for Children of New Jersey is the trusted, independent voice putting children’s needs first for more than 35 years.  Our work results in better laws and policies, more effective funding and stronger services for children and families.  And it means that more children are given the chance to grow up safe, healthy, and educated.  For more information, visit www.acnj.org. Follow ACNJ on Twitter @acnjforkids and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/acnjforkids.

About ZERO TO THREE: ZERO TO THREE works to ensure all babies and toddlers benefit from the family and community connections critical to their well-being and development. Since 1977, the organization has advanced the proven power of nurturing relationships by transforming the science of early childhood into helpful resources, practical tools and responsive policies for millions of parents, professionals and policymakers. For more information, and to learn how to become a ZERO TO THREE member, please visit www.zerotothree.org, www.facebook.com/zerotothree or follow @zerotothree on Twitter.