What happens in the Alaska Legislature matters – really matters – for early childhood. Best Beginnings and our early childhood partners have come together with a priority list for state funding and attention. Tell your legislators you’re with us: early childhood matters!
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Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation supports Imagination Library
For the second year running, newborns at the Alaska Native Medical Center can be enrolled in Imagination Library before they and their moms even leave the hospital. That’s thanks to Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation (HANF) renewing their contribution and making this possible. Read More
Strong foundation bolsters partnerships
The best, most durable structures have a solid foundation, and Best Beginnings’ early childhood partnerships stand firmly on “four pillars.” What do seven partnerships in seven different communities have in common, and how is each of them making these pillars real?
Imagination Library books for Alaska Native Medical Center Newborns
The Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation (HANF) is continuing its support of Imagination Library for a second year in a row. With its contribution to Best Beginnings, the foundation funds Imagination Library for Alaska Native Medical Center newborns. HANF seeks to inspire a great start to a healthy life, in part by helping children be ready Read More
New Year’s Resolutions
Who can resist New Year’s resolutions? I certainly can’t. So here are a few of mine: Give a “pat on the back” through a friendly nod or smile when I see parents interacting with their young children in positive ways. Encourage my own grown children (parents themselves) and other young parents I know to keep Read More
Mysteries of the baby brain revealed
Neuroscientist and best-selling author Dr. Lise Eliot will give a free public talk, 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, at Wilda Marston Theatre, Z.J. Loussac Public Library, Anchorage. Dr. Eliot’s public talk will focus on themes from her latest book, Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps and What We Can Do Read More
Imagination Library reaches 100 Alaska communities
Imagination Library has taken root all over Alaska, from small remote villages to large urban cities. One hundred communities are now being served by 29 local Imagination libraries. The most recent additions are Galena and Valdez, where volunteers have completed the groundwork and are now enrolling children. Cooper Landing is expected to come on board Read More
Welcome new board members
Building a strong organization capable of catalyzing support for early childhood takes committed leadership. It’s my pleasure to let you know the following people were recently elected to the Best Beginnings Board of Directors: Gara Bridwell, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Lorie Morris, chief executive officer at Alaska Read More
Books for The Children’s Hospital at Providence Newborns
The Children’s Hospital at Providence enrolls new babies born at their facility in Imagination Library – and covers the costs for their first year. The program began with a generous gift of $100,000, supporting approximately 300 newborns each month through 2011. Since then, The Children’s Hospital at Providence (TCHAP) has provided $25,000 to support enrollments Read More
Babies on Track premieres huge success
All across Alaska, volunteer hosts rolled out the red carpet to launch the video and distribute free copies of the Babies on Track DVD and companion baby board books. Hospitals, libraries, child care providers, employer groups – even grandpas –scheduled movie premieres during the week of February 25 to March 4 and made plans to Read More