Spread the Word in Your Community

Local Partnerships

By working with other individuals and organizations, you can share the importance of addressing babies’ needs from different perspectives and provide a holistic picture to advance the policies and programs that support them. Consider co-authoring an op-ed in the local newspaper, attending a town hall meeting together, or scheduling a joint meeting with your elected officials or their staff.

Here are some advocates and allies you may want to connect with:

  • Medical providers, including pediatricians
  • State and local children’s advocacy organizations (Find an organization near you.)
  • Parent organizations, such as the PTA or the Policy Council for your local Head Start program
  • Child care centers, Early Head Start programs, home visiting programs, and child welfare services
  • Business leaders or business groups like the Chamber of Commerce
  • Faith-based organizations
  • Academic groups focused on early education – local colleges or universities
  • Unions
  • Reproductive Justice Groups
  • Social Service Coalitions
  • Women’s Groups

The sample email below could help with your initial outreach, but any way you reach out to build relationships can help further the campaign.

Once you formally engage them in the effort, you can use the other materials in this toolkit to conduct education activities together, such as co-authoring an op-ed in the local newspaper; attending a town hall meeting together to highlight this issue for your elected officials; or scheduling a joint meeting with your elected officials or staff.

Sample Email

Subject: Reaching Out – Are You Ready to Think Babies

Dear [NAME],

As someone who is focused on issues affecting babies and toddlers [INSERT MORE SPECIFICITY IF NECESSARY], I am reaching out about an initiative in which you may be interested.

As you likely know, the first three years of a baby’s life have an enormous impact on how they learn and grow throughout their lifetime, with more than one million new neural connections forming every second. And you know what’s at stake: When babies have nurturing relationships, positive early learning experiences, and good health and nutrition, those neural connections are stimulated and strengthened, laying a strong foundation for the rest of their lives. Yet opportunities to grow and flourish are not shared equally by all infants, toddlers, and families, reflecting past and present systemic racism and barriers to critical resources. If our nation is to thrive, we must ensure that every baby has what they need to reach their full potential.

Given [YOUR/YOUR ORGANIZATION’S FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD ISSUES], I am reaching out to let you know about Think Babies™, a call to action for federal and state policymakers to prioritize the needs of infants, toddlers and their families and invest in our future.

Every day, Congress makes decisions that affect our work and the children and families we serve. Our babies need a big voice, and we can help! There are many opportunities to get involved – from sharing messages with your network to meeting with state policymakers and our Members of Congress. I would like to speak with you more about Think Babies and see if there are ways we can work together. [INSERT RELEVANT CONNECTION POINTS].

Thank you,
[NAME]