Department of Early Education and Care and United Way Unveil New Website for Brain Building in Progress Campaign

BOSTON —  The Department of Early Education and Care and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, leaders of the state’s Brain Building in Progress campaign, today unveiled a new redesign of the campaign’s website, www.brainbuildinginprogress.org, featuring new and enhanced resources to raise public awareness of and involvement in young children’s healthy development and learning.

“Each and every one of us has an important role to play in the development of young children in Massachusetts,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber.  “The Brain Building in Progress campaign and website provide important resources to engage and support families, educators, business leaders, public officials, and the general public in helping children to learn and succeed.”

The Brain Building in Progress campaign, which is based upon the latest science and research on early childhood development, aims to raise awareness of the critical importance of fostering the cognitive, social and emotional development of young children by emphasizing its future impact on the economic prosperity of everyone in Massachusetts.

“The Brain Building in Progress campaign promotes the important role everyone can play in building young children’s brains,” said Michael K. Durkin, President at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. “We welcome the business, education, and policy-making communities to be part of this crucial venture. By giving a strong start to our youngest citizens, we create a stronger, more prosperous future for all.”

Features on the newly redesigned Brain Building in Progress website include “Brain Building” activity guides for families and educators, a searchable calendar of “Brain Building” activities across the state, a “Brain Building” Zone Finder that lists places that support “brain building” such as museums and libraries, and marketing resources for organizations to hold a Brain Building event or for businesses to create their own Brain Building Zones.

Since the launch of the Brain Building in Progress in 2010, the campaign has:

• Distributed over 11,000 Brain Building in Progress activity toolkits benefiting over 19,400 children, 13,000 families and 2,700 educators;
• Held over 3,500 Brain Building in Progress events for young children in communities across the state;
• Created seven parent tip sheets in 11 different languages;
• Identified over 270 “Brain Building Zones” in partnerships with community-based organizations, small businesses, recreation facilities, museums and libraries;
• Trained over 150 early education professionals to offer “I am a Brain Builder” workshops geared toward educating parents about how to support their child’s healthy development.

For more information about Brain Building in Progress and to view the campaign’s website, visit www.brainbuildinginprogress.org.