The Building Strong Brains Coalition recently held its quarterly meeting at Goshen College on Tuesday, March 25, bringing together key partners and action team members dedicated to improving outcomes for young children and families in Elkhart County. The morning was filled with updates, discussions, and new initiatives aimed at driving positive change across the community.
Welcoming Remarks & Purpose
Kim Boynton, Director of the Building Strong Brains Coalition, welcomed participants and outlined the meeting’s agenda. The focus remained on celebrating collective wins, launching the Building Strong Brains FindHelp platform, and exploring new data from Visible Network Labs to enhance collaboration efforts. Boynton emphasized the coalition’s continued commitment to three core areas:
• Quality Early Learning Environments
• Community Supports
• Healthy Moms and Babies
She also acknowledged the need to address foundational issues like food and housing security to enhance the coalition’s impact. Reflecting on a previous meeting in October 2023, Boynton noted that lasting change requires working at three levels: explicit, semi•explicit, and implicit.
Celebrating Successes & Addressing Challenges
The coalition’s progress was bolstered by a $7.5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment (Lilly Gift VIII), awarded to the Community Foundation of Elkhart County to support the Building Strong Brains initiative over five years. As Boynton said, “This grant award is one of many affirmations that our collective work is building a strong foundation that will lead to improved outcomes for young children and families.”
Key initiatives highlighted during the meeting included:
• Healthcare Access: Regular meetings among healthcare leaders are helping to identify and address barriers to prenatal care access.
• Community Resource Navigator Cohort: A new effort aimed at better-connecting families with necessary resources.
• Fetal Infant Mortality Review: The Community Action Team component of this work will be part of the Maternal and Child Health Action Team’s ongoing work to improve outcomes for mothers and infants.
• Family Voice Project: Ensuring solutions are designed with direct input from parents and caregivers.
Introducing Findhelp
Brian Replogle, Assistant Director of Building Strong Brains, introduced the new Findhelp platform, designed to connect families to local resources more effectively. This tool aims to streamline access to services and enhance the coalition’s ability to respond to community needs.
Partner Contributions & New Tools
Several partners shared updates on their projects:
• Shin Yee Tan from Beacon Community Impact and The SOURCE introduced the Family Journey Consortium, which offers comprehensive services for birthing individuals and families.
• Natalie Evans from Crossroads United Way discussed Lantern, a tool offering resources and support for parents and caregivers.
• Patty Rose from Purdue University highlighted efforts to create safe, accessible indoor play spaces for children.
• Holly Decker from Geminis shared the success of the Family Child Care Network, which has engaged more home•based providers and improved care quality.
Building Toward Transformative Change
As Boynton noted, real transformation involves not just structural changes but also relational dynamics and shifting underlying beliefs. The coalition is working at all three levels:
• Structural Changes (Explicit): Policy adjustments, new programs, and improved resource allocation.
• Relational Changes (Semi-Explicit): Strengthening networks and improving collaboration across sectors.
• Transformative Changes (Implicit): Shifting mindsets and cultural narratives about what it means for children to thrive.
Looking Ahead
Despite the challenges, the coalition’s progress remains strong. The commitment to learning, collaboration, and relentless problem•solving continues to drive the work forward.“We have far to go on this journey, but we have accomplished a lot and we aren’t slowing down,” said Boynton.