Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative – episode 17

Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative – Cari O’Connor – episode 17

Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative is a partnership of community leaders, business owners, charitable and faith-based organizations, health and human service agencies, educators, and parents that come together for the purpose of: Promoting awareness and advocating for early childhood issues. Address factors that influence school readiness, and Planning and coordinating community services.

Located at the Montcalm Transition Center 618 W Main St Suite C in Stanton Michigan, Great Start utilizes community resources and supports to help families have access to tools needed to provide a healthy start for all children. According to Cari O’Connor, Great Start Director, “the Early Childhood program continues to grow and evolve, especially in Montcalm County. We know that research shows us that early childhood; birth through age five is a critical time in the development of a child’s brain. Simply stated, early childhood is a smart investment.” Source: https://greatstartmontcalm.org/

Cari continues, “At Great Start we really focus on the health and well being of young children. By providing early education and parent leadership are the key components to the work that we do. We’re a diverse body of community members that are interested in building a similar system of care for early childhood in Montcalm County. This means that we are planning play groups, we’re working on helping ensure that there is help and no health inequities for birth to 5 year old families.”

Montcalm County Great Start Coalition is seeking parents of ALL children 12 and under to voice their opinions, get involved and begin activities to further the health, welfare and social/emotional development of their children.

Montcalm County Great Start Collaborative

Cari O’Connor, LMSW
MAISD Great Start Director

618 W Main St Suite C
Stanton MI 48888
(616) 225-6146