Lansing - Children helped Mayor David Hollister cut the red ribbon on Lansing’s first All Children Connected to Succeed Program Family Resource Center Tuesday.
MSU President M. Peter McPherson was in attendance for the event.
The two serve on the Ready to Succeed Blue Ribbon Committee, which works to identify and align community resources to aid in the development of children from birth to age five.
The group also works to create links with school-based resources to ensure children have the developmental skills for school.
“Clearly when you look at the checklist there has been some progress (in education),” McPherson said.
This was the first of five which will be serving families around Ingham County.
“A one-stop shopping for families with children,” Hollister said.
Parents may need to get information on where to get immunizations and what parents should teach their children about television, he said.
“When I was a parent I took a community college class on parenting,” Hollister said.
The centers will get parents involved with the education and development of their children, he said.
“This will be a great opportunity for single moms,” Hollister said.
Each parent will receive a pamphlet which provides a checklist of important information, such as birth, immunizations, first aid training and involvement in parent/child play-group time.
Early childhood consultants Rebecca Meszaros and Jennifer Smith will both be working at the center in Waverly.
“I think it is going to help bring families together and get kids ready to succeed in school,” Smith said.
The centers will help support families and provide developmental screening, she said.
“We are going to offer home visits and parent/child play-groups,” Smith said.
Amber Bartalone, a parent education home visitor, said she will be working with the Williamston center.
She said Williamston is such a rural community, she hopes there will be a focus on getting to know neighbors.
“We are going to help parents be the best teachers for their children,” she said.
Gretchen Van Arsdale, early childhood specialized consultant, said she will be working to increase the quality of education children with special needs require.
“A big part of the center is to increase (parents’) resources,” she said.
Mara Stein, executive director of Child Abuse Prevention Services, 119 Pere Marquette Drive* in Lansing, said there are different perspective on what families need in raising children.
“It is crucial of any parent regardless of resources should not do it alone,” she said.
“It is as stressful as it is joyful.”
