Nebraska Reopens…Along with Early Care and Education Programs: Chantel Tonkinson Shares Her New Beginning

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Children at Chantel Tonkinson's early care facility, Ladybug Crossing, create Easter projects.

Our early care providers are strategizing, struggling, and helping – even amid this potentially fatal illness. We are glad to hear and share their stories. It is undeniable that early care workers have been duly impacted by COVID-19. It is, however, equally undeniable that this demographic has proven itself to be hard-working, resilient, and resourceful.

As we spoke with Chantel Tonkinson, the director of Ladybug Crossing Early Learning Program in North Platte, Nebraska, our vision of a brighter future and eventual new beginning sharpened into focus. She is reopening Ladybug Crossing on May 11!

Connected Youth Initiative and COVID-19: A Domestic Abuse Survivor Steps into Brighter Times

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

How did a young mother'and domestic abuse survivor's resolve and Connected Youth Initiative help her move into brighter times?

As we search for light in dark corners, we must acknowledge the struggles, strengths and triumphs of these youth. Each one has a different story; each one is capable of being remarkably successful, sometimes with a little support from CYI’s resources.

Recently, one young mother’s story arrives at a welcome time. Although her experience was not easy, and was perhaps exacerbated by the coronavirus, we are glad that she was resourceful and resilient enough to ask for assistance, and that CYI was there to help. Read this young woman’s story.

Children of the Trees: Communities, Nonprofits, and Public Institutions Unite on Behalf of Nebraska-Tree-A-Thon

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

On Arbor Day weekend, April 24-26, youth and their communities across Nebraska participated in a statewide Tree-A-Thon to plant and celebrate trees. 

BSB kicked off the Tree-A-Thon alongside Arbor Day Foundation, Natural Resource Districts, Audubon Nebraska, Nebraska Forest Service, and The University of Nebraska. As with any major initiative, this project constituted more than just tree-planting; BSB and its partners had a larger mission in mind. 

No Picnic: Saffron Buettner Reveals her Community’s Strategy to Deliver 175-Gallons of Milk and 175 Loaves of Bread to 70 Providers in Two Weeks

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

When early care providers experienced a bread and milk shortage, how did Saffron Buettner (pictured right) and her fellow community members help? Find out.

When early care providers experienced a bread and milk shortage, how did Saffron Buettner (pictured above) and her fellow community members help? Find out.

Afterschool Programs are Here to Stay: Beyond School Bells Launches New Toolkit for Any Stage in the Creation Process

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Whether you’re contemplating, starting, improving, or sustaining a high quality afterschool or summer learning experience, the process takes work. Beyond School Bells has launched its new Toolkit to help. For those thinking about creating an Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELO), the toolkit provides planning guidelines and funding structures. To start a program, this resource contains hiring and leadership strategies. To improve an ELO, explore curricular ideas and career-readiness best practices. Finally, sustain your ELO with resources for partnerships, advocacy, and messaging.

Beyond School Bells Join Forces to Bring STEM to Underserved Areas

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Beyond School Bells was awarded a one-year grant to participate in the Million Girl Moonshot. This initiative intends to increase the number of underserved youth in high-quality afterschool and summer STEM programs. With this STEMNext grant, BSB will join ten other statewide afterschool networks to launch this decade-long national initiative.

Early Childhood Providers and COVID-19: The Nebraska Child Care Provider Relief Fund Delivers Source of Support

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Thanks to the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, we and Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative created the Nebraska Child Care Provider Relief Fund. This fund provides Nebraska-based licensed childcare programs and providers with a one-time $1,000 award. These funds are designed to recognize the importance of childcare facilities during this crisis. To date, we’ve received a staggeringly high number of over 1,000 applications.

Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood education, fundraising, Nebraska Children, preschool
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events

Coming Clean: During COVID-19, Community Members Help Early Care Providers Find Disinfectant

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

Join Julie Nash of Hall County Community Collaborative as she comes clean on her hunt for a provider's much-needed disinfectant.

Despite COVID-19, many families need to work, and their children need quality care. Without childcare, there can be no essential workers. Without these essential early care workers, there can be no thriving community.

Julie Nash wholeheartedly recognizes this connection. She and her organization serve on a committee that works with children ages birth through 11 and their providers. Through the professional grapevine, Julie caught wind from Shonna Werth, Assistant Vice President of Early Childhood Programs, that a provider in St. Paul, Nebraska needed disinfectant. In fact, if this provider couldn’t find some sanitizer soon, she would have to close her doors.

Learn more about Julie’s hunt for disinfectant.

Bring Up Nebraska Partners Working to Meet Needs: First Lady Shore, Motherboard and Generous Funders Refurbish Over 80 Computers for Families in Colfax/Platte Counties

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Nebraska Children — 1 Comment

From left to right: Representatives from Community & Family Partnership/Community Response, Motherboard, Platte Valley Literacy Association, Centro Hispano Comunitario de Nebraska, and Cargill Community Learning Center

Schuyler, Nebraska, with the help of our First Lady and other generous organizations, provided a terrific example of a community that cultivates positive change through engagement. When families in the Platte/Colfax Counties who were pursuing distance-learning were left with no available technology, the Community and Family Partnership, one of Bring Up Nebraska’s community collaboratives, reached out to its partners for assistance.

Find out what happened next.

Tagged with: Bring Up Nebraska, community collaboratives, community response
Posted in News and Events, Teen/Early Adulthood

COVID-19’s Effect on Early Care and Afterschool Programs: Providers Adapt, Grapple, and Make the Most Out of Difficult Times

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Nebraska Children — Leave a comment

The children at Cherry Creative Corner are creating and playing while Shannon and her staff find ways to adapt to new circumstances.

This spring, COVID-19 is a name and number with which you’re probably well-acquainted. You’re more than likely aware of many other numbers, too. From the number of infected individuals in your area to the number of businesses closed to the number of layoffs, we can recite these statistics by heart.

Here at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, as an organization that seeks to grow the good life for all our children, we empathize with those who are witnessing, dealing, and adjusting to these uncertain times.

In addition to members of the service industry and retail being impacted, there is one occasionally overlooked, equally affected demographic whose voice we aim to capture: our early care providers.

Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood education, Nebraska Children, preschool
Posted in Early Childhood, News and Events