Built For Babies
Why Investing in Mississippi's youngest Citizens matters today and tomorrow
HEAR FROM REAL MISSISSIPPIANS
Hear directly from those shaping Mississippi’s early childhood landscape. These stories from child care providers, parents, medical professionals, and advocates highlight real experiences and the impact of policies and programs on the lives of children and families.
Baby Rhodes's Story
Dr. Dorothy Nassar’s children have benefited tremendously from Mississippi’s First Steps Early Intervention program. From speech delays to physical and developmental challenges, the home-based services and parent training helped her children thrive and strengthened their whole family. Her story highlights the life-changing impact of early intervention and the need for greater access and funding for all Mississippi children.
Why This? why Now?
The goal of the Built For Babies Communications Campaign is to soften the ground for future action and raise awareness about how important it is for Mississippi to prioritize infant and toddler issues.
When we speak with one voice, our advocacy becomes more effective. Policymakers, business leaders, and community members are more likely to take notice and engage with us when we present a consistent, compelling message.
The toolkits below contain message wheels to help ensure that every conversation, whether it is with a legislator, a business owner, or a parent, reinforces our core priorities in Early Care & Education, Early Intervention, Early Childhood Nutrition.
COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKITS
Early Care & Education
KEY MESSAGE
Mississippi’s economic growth depends on parents’ access to child care that supports children’s health, education, and development.
Early Intervention
KEY MESSAGE
Increasing access to and funding for Mississippi’s Early Intervention (EI) program is critical to our children’s long-term success.
Early Childhood Nutrition
KEY MESSAGE
Supporting access to healthy, nutritious food during pregnancy and early childhood gives Mississippi little ones a strong start in life.
Campaign Partners
The Built for Babies campaign was a collaborative effort between the following organizations
If you are interested in becoming a Built For Babies Campaign Partner, contact MELA’s Communications Director at comms@msearlylearning.org.
SINCEREST THANKS
These messages were developed with feedback and input from
Mississippi WIC,
MSU Social Science Research Center Systems Change Lab,
Families As Allies,
Institute for Child Nutrition,
Mississippi Farm to School Network,
Mississippi Department of Human Services,
Dr. Jeff Leffler, Dr. Julie Parker, and many individuals and other programs
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all our partners who contributed to the development of the messages and designs for the Built For Babies Campaign. Your insights and feedback helped ensure this work reflects the needs and voices of Mississippi families.
We also thank the ZERO TO THREE Built For Babies Project for their financial and technical support. This campaign was developed with input from the Systems Change Lab at Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center.