It's November and we are Talking About The World! Join our Family Coaches for their LAST Talking is Teaching Play-and-Learns of the year from 10:30-11:30am.
Allegan District Library- Thursday, November 6th
JC Wheeler Public Library- Friday, November 7th
Fennville District Library- Wednesday, November 12th
Dorr Township Library- Tuesday, November 18th
Ransom District Library- Thursday, November 20th
FYI- Due to the elimination of 32p funding in the Michigan School Aid budget this year, the Great Start Collaborative and Family Coalition will no longer be hosting monthly Talking is Teaching Play-and-Learns with local libraries after the month of November. Please come say "goodbye" to our amazing Family Coaches this month!
Allegan District Library- Thursday, November 6th
JC Wheeler Public Library- Friday, November 7th
Fennville District Library- Wednesday, November 12th
Dorr Township Library- Tuesday, November 18th
Ransom District Library- Thursday, November 20th
FYI- Due to the elimination of 32p funding in the Michigan School Aid budget this year, the Great Start Collaborative and Family Coalition will no longer be hosting monthly Talking is Teaching Play-and-Learns with local libraries after the month of November. Please come say "goodbye" to our amazing Family Coaches this month!
📚 This month, Allegan County Great Start Collaborative joined Hope College’s BIG READ LAKESHORE and passed out 454 copies of Mini Read books (Row, Row, Row Your Boat) with the help of these AMAZING agency partners! 💙
✨ Stay tuned! Next month, we’ll be sharing FREE Little Read books with more agency partners!
✨ Stay tuned! Next month, we’ll be sharing FREE Little Read books with more agency partners!
The Allegan County Great Start Collaborative recognizes this will be a challenging season for many families. We would like to share Allegan County Community Foundation's "Food Pantry" brochures and Feeding America's website for local food pantries - https://www.feedwm.org/findfood/
The public is invited to our final GSC Town Hall Meeting TODAY (Monday, October 27th) from 11am-12pm on Zoom- https://bit.ly/AlleganCountyGSC. See you soon ;)
Are you having trouble with biting, tantrums or the "terrible twos?" Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) is a four-week class for primary caregivers of children 0-3 that teaches about how young children develop social emotional skills and helps give caregivers skills to deal with the stress of caring for children and to help their children develop strong social emotional skills. Register- https://bit.ly/3VSTqOp
Thursdays, October 30, November 6, 13, 20
Thursdays, October 30, November 6, 13, 20
The public is invited to our final GSC Town Hall Meet next Monday, October 27th from 11am-12pm.
TODAY (October 21st) is our LAST October Mini Read "Let's Talk About Music" Play-and-Learn at Dorr Township Library from 10:30-11:30am. Families with children ages 0-5 years old are encouraged to join our FREE playgroups. Each family receives a FREE Book to take home.
TOMORROW (October 21st) is our LAST October Mini Read "Let's Talk About Music" Play-and-Learn at Dorr Township Library from 10:30-11:30am. Families with children ages 0-5 years old are encouraged to join our FREE playgroups. Each family receives a FREE Book to take home.
Are you a Michigan parent or guardian? Interested in winning a $25 gift card? Simply fill out this short survey about literacy skills and programs! You must be a parent/guardian of a child ages 0-10 to participate. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MILearningSurveyII
Monique shares what it’s like parenting a child with special healthcare needs. Her message is simple and powerful: trust yourself—you know your child best.
https://youtu.be/lcZKp3utDw4?si=WPuzvaIZ6RexYRpP
You are not alone. 1 in 5 women experience challenges with their mental health during pregnancy and through the first year of baby’s life. If you are struggling, you are NOT alone and "It's Okay to Ask for Help.". Call 1-833-TLC-MAMA
https://youtu.be/lcZKp3utDw4?si=WPuzvaIZ6RexYRpP
You are not alone. 1 in 5 women experience challenges with their mental health during pregnancy and through the first year of baby’s life. If you are struggling, you are NOT alone and "It's Okay to Ask for Help.". Call 1-833-TLC-MAMA
🚨 Michigan’s Youngest Learners Need Your Voice TODAY!
Section 32p funding is a cornerstone of Michigan’s early childhood system — supporting programs like Allegan County Great Start Collaborative & Great Start Family Coalition
Without it, our community loses:
💔 Support for home visiting and parent engagement
📚 Free book distribution and early literacy initiatives
👶 Events like Talking is Teaching Play-and-Learns, Families Connected events, "Let's Talk About Books, Balls, and Blocks "Kid's Day event, and Story Walks
🤝 Resources for childcare providers
The elimination of Section 32p funding would deeply impact children, families, and early childhood agencies across Allegan County.
Let’s work together to make sure every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
📢 We urge policymakers to protect Section 32p funding.- https://house.mi.gov/
Section 32p funding is a cornerstone of Michigan’s early childhood system — supporting programs like Allegan County Great Start Collaborative & Great Start Family Coalition
Without it, our community loses:
💔 Support for home visiting and parent engagement
📚 Free book distribution and early literacy initiatives
👶 Events like Talking is Teaching Play-and-Learns, Families Connected events, "Let's Talk About Books, Balls, and Blocks "Kid's Day event, and Story Walks
🤝 Resources for childcare providers
The elimination of Section 32p funding would deeply impact children, families, and early childhood agencies across Allegan County.
Let’s work together to make sure every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
📢 We urge policymakers to protect Section 32p funding.- https://house.mi.gov/
TODAY(October 16th) is our next October Mini Read "Let's Talk About Music" Play-and-Learn at Ransom District Library from 10:30-11:30am. Families with children ages 0-5 years old are encouraged to join our FREE playgroups. Each family receives a FREE Book to take home.
TOMORROW (October 16th) is our next October Mini Read "Let's Talk About Music" Play-and-Learn at Ransom District Library from 10:30-11:30am. Families with children ages 0-5 years old are encouraged to join our FREE playgroups. Each family receives a FREE Book to take home.
Join MSU Extension's Class on Exploring Parenting Styles on 10/28/25 (8-9:30pm)
Register- https://bit.ly/4njyXy2
Register- https://bit.ly/4njyXy2
Allegan County Impact Story-
"My husband and I both work for non-profit organizations, therefore, as we were building our family we lived paycheck to paycheck. Both of us work in education in some role, making the importance of reading to our children a top priority. When our first of 3 daughters was born, I signed up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to receive books to help build our home library. As our family grew, money became tighter. Without this book gifting program, our home library would not have had books. Both my husband and I believe in the power of reading, imaginative play, and the importance of having books readily available for our 3 girls. It was because of this collaborative that our wishes came true, building a library full of books for our girls and allowing them the opportunity we could not provide them. It not only impacted our girls, but our family and friends as well. Each time anyone came to our home, to see the books and learn of the program was powerful and overwhelming to most. "
"My husband and I both work for non-profit organizations, therefore, as we were building our family we lived paycheck to paycheck. Both of us work in education in some role, making the importance of reading to our children a top priority. When our first of 3 daughters was born, I signed up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to receive books to help build our home library. As our family grew, money became tighter. Without this book gifting program, our home library would not have had books. Both my husband and I believe in the power of reading, imaginative play, and the importance of having books readily available for our 3 girls. It was because of this collaborative that our wishes came true, building a library full of books for our girls and allowing them the opportunity we could not provide them. It not only impacted our girls, but our family and friends as well. Each time anyone came to our home, to see the books and learn of the program was powerful and overwhelming to most. "
Allegan County Impact Story-
"The information and materials that are provided by Great Start helps with taking the burden off of many families with young children who may not have other resources or the financial ability to purchase simple things like books or that may not know where to go to find information that is helpful to them in many aspects of what is important in their young child’s development. It also provides us as caregivers to help with all the little things that are necessary for connecting with new families in their journey. "
"The information and materials that are provided by Great Start helps with taking the burden off of many families with young children who may not have other resources or the financial ability to purchase simple things like books or that may not know where to go to find information that is helpful to them in many aspects of what is important in their young child’s development. It also provides us as caregivers to help with all the little things that are necessary for connecting with new families in their journey. "
Allegan County Impact Story-
"By partnering with the library, the Great Start Collaborative and Family Coalition has made a positive impact on the families they engage with, by providing free books for families to take home with them. Providing available for resources for families helps those in underserved communities to thrive and access to resources and materials to help promote critical early literacy at home, outside of just the library or school."
"By partnering with the library, the Great Start Collaborative and Family Coalition has made a positive impact on the families they engage with, by providing free books for families to take home with them. Providing available for resources for families helps those in underserved communities to thrive and access to resources and materials to help promote critical early literacy at home, outside of just the library or school."
Allegan County Impact Story-
"I have personally witnessed so many people who have changed their lives, broken the abuse pattern, become better parents, and controlled their anger by using social and emotional support. I have seen teens pregnant with no support or idea how to become a mom, who are now mentoring others. Children who were missed by the school system but identified as having issues by GSC-GSCF were supported and connected with outside resources. I have seen lives change, and being someone who works at a church, I know God is the source they all need. But God also created and gifted Allegan County with GSC-GSCF, and they have been the hands and feet in our community. We Need them........"
"I have personally witnessed so many people who have changed their lives, broken the abuse pattern, become better parents, and controlled their anger by using social and emotional support. I have seen teens pregnant with no support or idea how to become a mom, who are now mentoring others. Children who were missed by the school system but identified as having issues by GSC-GSCF were supported and connected with outside resources. I have seen lives change, and being someone who works at a church, I know God is the source they all need. But God also created and gifted Allegan County with GSC-GSCF, and they have been the hands and feet in our community. We Need them........"
Thank you for sharing your stories!!! Today, we have 57 stories from Allegan County community partners and families. These stories are being passed on to policymakers with the hopes of reinstating funding for Great Start Collaboratives and Great Start Family Coalitions across the state. If you haven't shared your story yet, please do so at https://bit.ly/SAVEGSC
Join MSU Extension: Guiding Principles for Highly Successful Parenting classes . Register at https://bit.ly/4gDJkKB
Wednesdays, October 28, November 4, November 11, November 18, November 25
Wednesdays, October 28, November 4, November 11, November 18, November 25
