November 2019
Early Childhood Updates from SMIF
This autumn we have been busy! From the Early Childhood Care Conference to the start of the school year for AmeriCorps members, there's been a lot happening.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's Early Childhood Care Conference a success. We hope you learned a lot and had fun!

Below, we highlight stories about the amazing work happening in the region to support early childhood. Their innovative ideas are what is moving the needle on school readiness in southern Minnesota.

As ever, if you have questions, concerns or creative suggestions as they relate to early childhood, please contact me at 507-214-7012 or  raejeanh@smifoundation.org . 
Rae Jean Hansen 
Vice President - Early Childhood
Thank you for another great conference!
Nearly 500 people attended this year's Early Childhood Care Conference including early childhood providers, speakers, exhibitors, staff and volunteers. Thank you for making this conference a success! Enjoy a quick recap video of the day by clicking the play button on the video.
Creating a network for children and families to rely on
"Austin has always been home to a wide range of early childhood programming and resources, but the organizations providing these services used to work independently. In 2004, local leaders formed an Early Childhood Initiative (ECI), one of 25 coalitions supported by SMIF. This ECI created programs like bussing for preschoolers and support for parents looking for child care. The development of this network created a roadmap to address other important issues in the community. Some ECI members have helped create programming for new immigrant families. Others are developing solutions to the child care crisis in Austin, supported by a grant from SMIF. The ECI is now heavily embedded in the community and looked to as a trusted resource on which families rely."

Communities Addressing the Child Care Shortage
The City of Wells created two incredible initiatives to address the child care shortage in their community thanks to SMIF's support. "The group has created two initiatives to promote the creation of new child care openings: a forgivable loan program and a rentable space that could be utilized for a day care."

DEED awards SMIF early childhood grant
We received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to support our early childhood work. We will use these dollars for training, technical assistance and a grant round this winter. Stay tuned for more details! Watch the news story from KEYC here and read the DEED press release here .
We are accepting AmeriCorps LEAP member applications!
We are hiring AmeriCorps LEAP Initiative members! Applications are due on December 15 for a term beginning in January. Full-time and part-time positions are available. Members focus on the social and emotional development of young children. Apply here!

Contact barbarag@smifoundation.org or 507-456-0353 with questions.
Join us at
KIDS COUNT Coffee on January 17!
Please join Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota for an important discussion about data on Minnesota’s children. The  2019 Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book entitled “Navigating Systems for Children’s Well-being”  focuses on trends in key indicators of child and family well-being and highlights public policy that has improved or could improve outcomes for our youngest citizens and the entire state of Minnesota.

When: January 17, 2019 | 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation
525 Florence Ave
Owatonna, MN 55060

Interested in attending? RSVP to Rona Holcomb at ronah@smifoundation.org !
Applications open for SMIF's Board

Want to be a part of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation's Board of Trustees? Learn more and apply by December 12!
Support Southern Minnesota's Future
SMIF's  Love Where You Live   campaign will strengthen our region’s future. Won’t you join us in creating vibrant communities where more than 581,000 people call home?

Watch the video below to learn more about SMIF.
Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation | 507-455-3215 | www.smifoundation.org