Rooted in Relationships now faces an existential moment: what will the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation initiative that celebrated its first 10 years in 2023 look like without the woman who started it all?
Literacy as a Little Community Magic
Janelle Nissen has been involved with Nebraska Growing Readers since it began in 2023 when Laura Cady began working closely with Indian Hill as a test site for writing books and family engagement. Thanks to Nissen and Cady, it has since been a forerunner in hosting literacy events for the program. As Nissen puts it, “NGR hits our mission of that two-generational home-to-school connection as well as getting books in the home.” What Nissen is doing is building a literacy community.
Happy for a Reason
This year, Million and 3 other state-level representatives from Rooted in Relationships were able to attend as well as 3 staff from the Munroe-Meyer Institute, the evaluation group for Rooted’s work. In addition, each Rooted in Relationships community sent at least 2 representatives, including coaches, coordinators, and providers.
Books in Little Hands
Both Kim Chase and Amy Standley agree on a very specific detail about Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR) books: they fit well in small hands. While this may seem minor, it means that the children these early childhood professionals work with are holding the books, looking at the colorful pictures, identifying what they see; such moments are the early literacy moments NGR strives for.
Nurturing Hope: The Role of Youth Coaching in Young Adult Lives
Nyaruot’s early life was marked by frequent moves and instability, but after finding stability and support in a foster family, she faced new challenges in college. With the help of her coach, Tanya and various programs, she overcame setbacks and achieved her goals, earning a social work degree. Her journey highlights the power of resilience and support networks.
Nebraska Growing Readers Books Make a Difference in an Unexpected Way
The Nebraska Growing Readers (NGR) program, which is a collaboration between Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, the Nebraska Department of Education, the Statewide Family Engagement Center, and Unite for Literacy, has aimed primarily at providing free books for licensed childcare providers who can share them with their families, but the books have also been distributed to other organizations where children and families can access them. Al-Hindi said he learned of the program in December of 2023 when Nghia Le, the Director of the Learning Center, showed him the books, which they thought could be useful for the adults in ESL classes to use.
Tagged with: early childhood, Early Childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, early literacy, education, Metropolitan Community College, Nebraska Growing Readers, North Learning Community Center Parent University, preschool, Statewide Family Engagement Center, Unite for Literacy
Posted in Early Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood
Walk with Me: Rooted in Relationships Work in North Omaha
With trust and local ownership, has come a sincere interest in the work Rooted in relationships is doing and a desire to sustain that work within North Omaha. Temeshia Qualls says that she has seen the pieces of the puzzle come together with Rooted work and feels something meaningful is being passed on to the families they work with. But Debra Nared asks an important question: “we may have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than us, but what happens afterward?”
Tagged with: early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, North Omaha Childcare, Rooted in Relationships
Posted in Early Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood
Taking on the Grand Challenges of the Early Childhood Profession
TransformED accents Rooted in Relationships’ mission to collaborate with communities and with other state entities so as to build stronger infrastructure for early childhood mental health. As Bradley puts it, “It’s imperative to continue to collaborate with other initiatives and programs that support child care providers and the rest of the early childhood workforce. If we can figure out how to integrate practices, we can reduce redundancy and maximize impact.” What better way then for Rooted to celebrate its first 10 years and to set off on the next 10 years of working with communities and with state partners.
Tagged with: CHIME, early childhood, early childhood development, early childhood education, Getting Ready, Rooted in Relationships, Saline County
Posted in Early Childhood
Posted in Early Childhood
150,000 Reasons to Celebrate: Youth Advocacy at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation’s Legislative Days
The voices of Nebraska’s youth proved to be a powerful force, swaying Governor Jim Pillen to support crucial legislation impacting food security for 150,000 children in Nebraska. The young advocates, representing communities across Nebraska, presented compelling arguments at Legislative Days, ultimately influencing the governor’s decision. Their success highlights the transformative impact of youth advocacy in shaping policy.
Tagged with: Connected Youth Initiatve, CYI, foster care, Legislative Days, project everlast, youth voice
Posted in Legislature, Middle Childhood, News and Events, Systems, Teen/Early Adulthood
Posted in Legislature, Middle Childhood, News and Events, Systems, Teen/Early Adulthood
The Turtle Who Took Down a Tantrum
In January, Tucker Turtle Came to visit North Platte preschools and the local library as part of Rooted in Relationships’ work to teach children how to self-regulate emotions.
Growing the Good Life 