Systems of Care Initiative

Real heroes don’t wear capes. They wear dog tags. (Villano) In Gratitude: Those who live in freedom will always be grateful to those who helped preserve it. SOCI respectfully thanks our veterans for their service. socicommunites.org

Find – Invest – Evaluate - Lead Today Thomas York, Family Support Specialist; Kandi Kallappa, Education Specialist; Janice Smith, SOCI Board Member; Reverend Yort Clark II, and Reverend James Wood discussed how to weave DeBruce Career Pathways work into existing frameworks.

Find – Invest – Evaluate - Lead Today Kris Collins (KC Pre-K Cooperative), Mary Esselman (Operation Breakthrough) and Janice Smith (SOCI) formed a new SOCI Partnership to fund 10 SOCI Scholars to attend Operation Breakthrough on January 1, 2024! socicommunities.org

1,350,000 Awarded to SOCI Partnerships in 2023! SOCI has become a Big Sister! Two SOCI EC Centers are funded to build new centers to increase access for working families. Open Minds CDC - $847,0670 (Infant/Toddler Center) & KidZone Learning Center (Infants to PreK) - $490,528

Congratulations to Deborah Mann and the entire team at Emmanuel for an amazing and inspiring luncheon today. SOCI is proud to partner with Emmanuel and the Hall Family Foundation on the early childhood mental health project. Emmanuel is leading the way in mental health supports!

Visioning a Kansas City where the workforce doesn't struggle to find care and all children have access to high quality experiences. More to come!

Missourians, have you heard Governor Parson's recommendations to support child care in the FY2024 budget? Our friends at @KidsWinMissouri break it down. tinyurl.com/4nwa227e

THIS. This is why SOCI exists. We will work hard to ensure families in Kansas City do not have to make this difficult decision. Learn more at socicommunities.org @firstfiveyears #childcare #workforce #economicimpact ffyf.org/early-learning…

Good Afternoon! Halley French is the new SOCI executive director! Janice Smith, our previous ED is now Director of Program Development. Halley has expertise in strategic development, program evaluation, stakeholder engagement & ensuring opportunities for marginalized communities.

SOCI Investors/Board members attended KidZone Learning Center Christmas Program last night. All 60 children enrolled received hats/mittens/gloves from SOCI. 16 of the 60 children are SOCI Scholarship recipients. Thanks to all SOCI donors who make this seasonal cheer possible.

Would you like a treat? Friends are sharing treats at the Fall Fest. This SOCI-KidZone Centerprise Site has 15 SOCI Scholars enrolled in their full-day, full-year early childhood program.

These beautiful witches helped with the treats at the SOCI-KidZone Centerprise Site for the annual Fall Fest in Kansas City, Ks.!

I was almost eaten by a Trunk or Treat dinosaur Friday night at KidZone, 5100 Leavenworth Rd in Kansas City, Kansas! (Dr. Janice Smith, SOCI executive director)

Welcome to the KidZone-SOCI Centerprise Site's Fall Fest (Friday, October 29) 6:30 - 8:00.

Meeting with KidZone-SOCI Centerprise leadership to brainstorm for future Parent Cafe topics. Discussions include thinking about Strengthening Families model, case workers, career development. Thanks to Rev. Jim Woods and Director Rachelle Copeland for their time and ideas!

Molly provides a great presentation on EC and how adults can help. :-) ted.com/talks/molly_wr…

US Sen. Roger Marshall, MD visited KidZone, a SOCI Centerprise Site, on Monday where he shared a book with Ms. Carolyn's class. Later, he engaged with Rev. James Wood, Director Rachelle Copeland, & SOCI Pres. Amanda Adkins in discussions on preschool access for working families.

Welcome to new SOCI Board Member, Abdul Yahaya, an award winning leader and small business owner, with a professional background in Civil Engineering. He, his wife and four children live in Olathe, and are members of an historical African American church in Wyandotte County. 😀

SOCI directors, Kate Banks and Amanda Adkins join Dr. Janice Smith in the excitement of gathering as a Board of Directors at KidZone of Wyandotte County, one of our SOCI Centerprise Sites to help families in Kansas City, offering much needed help to working parents.

SOCI executive director shared a book with Mateo at the Grand Opening of KidZone Learning Center of Wyandotte County. A group of KidZone students enjoyed a short dance in class to celebrate!