Best Beginnings

Early Childhood Partnerships

Community involvement is essential to helping families prepare their children to succeed. Here’s why: All young children have the same basic needs. But their needs can be met in different ways, depending on community values, resources, interests, and cultures. People in the community are in the best position to identify what the children in their towns need and how to meet those needs.

Best Beginnings supports early childhood partnerships all over Alaska. In addition to identifying needs, resources, and opportunities, these partnerships work to improve coordination of programs and services and promote more effective and efficient use of resources.

The partnerships are diverse, with individuals from a wide range of interests and backgrounds who share a commitment to making their community better for young children.

Best Beginnings’ is working to build a statewide network of early childhood partnerships. A statewide network will improve coordination among early childhood programs and initiatives, resulting in more efficient use of resources.

Best Beginnings is supporting early childhood partnerships in these Alaska communities: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Gustavus, Homer, Hoonah, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Wrangell. Best Beginnings’ work with early childhood partnerships has been made possible by grants from the State of Alaska, BP, and ConocoPhillips.

To learn more, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , (907) 297-3300.

Related information

About Abbe Hensley

Abbe Hensley, Executive Director of Best Beginnings

Abbe Hensley, Executive Director of Best Beginnings, has been involved with early learning, education, and family engagement issues for many years. She is committed to seeing that not only her eight grandchildren but all Alaska children are ready for school, set for life.