Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

2000-Days-Logo-Solid-Web-210x130Cliché? Perhaps . . . Yet when it comes to policy change, it is all about will – public will.

Creating sustainable change requires intentional and ongoing building of public will. NCECF focuses on empowering people with information that connects them to early childhood through their own values, experiences and relationships. That’s the focus of our First 2,000 Days initiative. It raises awareness about how children’s earliest years have a lasting impact on later learning, health and success and calls attention to how these issues impact national security, safety and economic well-being.

New Website Showcases Law Enforcement, Faith and Business Leaders Calling on Support for Early Childhood Policies and Programs
As part of the First 2,000 Days initiative, business, faith, law enforcement and other diverse and nontraditional leaders are actively supporting early childhood investments. Many of them are featured on the newFirst 2,000 Days website.

“I challenge anyone that looks around our communities, our country and our world to say that other things are more important than the children that will become the next generation of leaders,” says William Anderson, Asheville Chief of Police on the website. He is joined by Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram, Guilford County Small Business Owner Mark Livingston, Buncombe County Business Owner Jennie Eblen, Yancey County Pastor Tommy James and many other community leaders.

Website Allows North Carolinians to Show Support for Early Child Development and Learning
In addition to showcasing support, the new website:

  • Demonstrates that what happens to young children impacts everyone in the community and provides information about how early childhood investments relate to national security, economic prosperity and safe communities.
  • Provides basic information on how experiences during a child’s first 2,000 days impact lifelong learning and health, including information on basic brain development, health in the early years and soft skills.
  • Provides tools for offline engagement with the First 2,000 Days Toolkit, including presentations, scripts, fact sheets, infographics and more.
  • Features easy actions people can take to spread the word about the value of early care and learning.

North Carolina Leaders Support Early Child Development Policies and Programs
Since the launch of the First 2,000 Days campaign:

  • More than 800 members of the faith community and 500 business leaders have been in early childhood briefings with more than 40% of attendees agreeing to take continued action.
  • Overall, more than 3,500 people have attended an early childhood presentation, and 40% have committed to continued involvement.
  • More than 100 business, faith, law enforcement and community leaders are serving as early childhood champions across the state. Champions play key roles in community outreach. They are trained to give the First 2000 Days presentation, suggest opportunities to give presentations and are presenters themselves. These community influencers often open doors for local partnerships to reach out to new constituencies. They also carry the First 2,000 Days message with them in their professional and personal life.

Show Your Support!