Families as Allies is expanding its parent-to-parent support to families of young children in Jackson, Mississippi, with plans to grow the project to other parts of the state over the next three years.
This project is funded by a $781,309 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan and builds on the foundation created by BuDS, an infant and early childhood mental health collaborative between the City of Jackson, Mississippi Families for Kids, and Families as Allies.
“Nobody knows their children better or loves them more than their families,” said Joy Hogge, executive director of Families as Allies. “This project gives parents the opportunity to learn from other parents’ real-world ways to support their children. We
know that supporting families when children first show signs of emotional challenges helps everyone in the family and saves
money over time.”
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba welcomed the Kellogg Foundation’s support for the early childhood initiative. “The City looks forward to continuing its partnership with Families as Allies and to working with them to expand services for families with young children in our city.”
Efforts will initially focus on families with young children in Jackson Public Schools and in the City’s child development centers. Families will have the opportunity to learn ways to foster healthy development in their children and how to navigate the services and supports that would be most helpful to them, leading to decreased stress for children, parents and teachers and improved academic readiness as children progress through school.
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (www.wkkf.org)
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti.