Every Family. Every Child. Every Time.
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Synergies Abound

Partnering with Great by 8, the newest program at our Family Resource Center

After months of strategic planning, Great by 8, a nonprofit focused on improving access to high-quality services in the areas of early childhood education and health, has joined forces with the Bridge Family Center. Our Family Resource Center (FRC) at Charter Oak Academy will oversee the operations of and work collaboratively with Great by 8 to support the healthy development of families in the West Hartford community. The partnership enables us to offer even more family support services aimed at enhancing parenting skills, promoting family involvement with schools, and helping children succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.

Great by 8 will continue to operate as a community partnership, bringing together parents, early childhood educators, health professionals, school district administrators, and community leaders to support young children in West Hartford. State Senator Beth Bye and Jane Lehman will serve as Great by 8’s co-chairs. Deborah Zipkin, Director of the FRC, will oversee Great by 8’s operations and will work closely with Great by 8 Coordinators, Andrea Thomas and Dana Kuhl, both of whom are now employees of the Bridge.

The synergies were self-evident. Our missions are both aimed at supporting and improving the lives of children and their families. The FRC runs notable programs such as the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI), People Empowering People (PEP), early learning playgroups, multiple reading groups, and summer programs targeted at incoming kindergarteners with no prior preschool experience. The relationship between the FRC and Great by 8 has already proven to be highly collaborative and valuable.

Great by 8 will play a significant role in helping to formulate long-term strategies for the Bridge’s early childhood programming by sharing the data it collects on young children in our community. It will also continue to inform the community about opportunities for parents and teachers, oversee school-readiness funding, and connect local preschools and elementary schools. Great by 8 brings a lot to the table and we are committed to their long-term success.

 

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