Saturday, February 04, 2012

Wednesdays4Kids February 24

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As long as one child is hungry, our lives will be filled with anguish and shame. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs.

-- Elie Wiesel 

Gearing up for April’s Campaign to End Child Abuse and Neglect
 iCAN will be Partnering with Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota (PCAMN) this April to raise awareness about issues of child abuse and neglect in Minnesota. We will be distributing blue ribbon sticker, parenting survival tip cards, and other materials this March to help participating congregations stay informed and advocate effectively for the children in our communities.

*If you would like materials please email Rachel at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  with how many stickers and parent survival cards your congregation needs my March 15.

PCAMN will be holding their Annual Conference, Prevention Works! Taking the Message Home, on April 7, 2010 at the St. Cloud Civic Center. This year their Keynote Speaker will be James M. Hmurovich, President/CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. Click here for the brochure, and here for online registration.

Leading up to the campaign iCAN will be developing an Online Toolkit with information and actions that you can use to mobilize your community around child abuse and neglect prevention. Read our recent blog post on child neglect, and stay tuned for more!

Be an iCAN Congregational Sponsor
 Thank you to those congregations who have become 2010 Congregational Sponsors:

  • Adath Jeshurun Congregation Minnetonka
  • Good Samaritan United Methodist Church
  • United Church of Christ, New Brighton
  • Valley Community Presbyterian Church

Please encourage your congregation to become a Congregational Sponsor of iCAN this year.  Click here for a list of past and current Congregational Sponsors. Key Advocates, don’t forget to encourage your congregations this year. Click here to donate!

Quick Policy Update: Funding Concerns
 Last week, the House Early Childhood Finance and Policy Division met to discuss the Governor’s proposed budget and hear from the community about the impacts on children. Click here to listen to the meeting from February 18. The committee took action to provide $500,000 to support child care providers getting ready for being rated in the state's pilot child care Quality Rating & Improvement System. The bill, H.F. 2760 was laid over for inclusion in the committee's omnibus funding bill to be created later this session. The companion Senate bill, S.F. 2505, continues to move through the committee process.  Thanks to Child Care WORKS for their work with this committee! 

A bonding bill that includes $2 million for constructing early childhood facilities was passed on Monday night by the House and Senate. The bill will now go to the Governor who has said he will likely veto. The Governor‘s original bonding proposal excluded the $2 million for early childhood facilities.

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