NEWS
Lindsay Aguilar Is The New Building Strong Brains Coalition Director
Building Strong Brains is pleased to welcome Lindsay Aguilar as our next Coalition Director. Over the past several years, Building Strong Brains has grown into a connected, action-focused effort across Elkhart County. Partners in early learning, health care, nonprofits, business, and local government are working toward the same goal: helping...
What Does a Family-Friendly Workplace Look Like in Elkhart County?
At the Building Strong Brains summit on November 11, about 40 people crowded into a breakout room to discuss something that often remains in the background: the intersection of work and family life in Elkhart County. The “Family Friendly Workplaces” session, moderated by Brian Replogle from Building Strong Brains and the Community Foundation of...
A Deep Dive into Hope: The HOPE Framework with Jessica Herzog-Hall, MSW
A keynote from Jessica Herzog-Hall at the 2025 Building Strong Brains Summit explored how the HOPE Framework and Positive Childhood Experiences support resilience in children and families. Here’s what she shared—and how Elkhart County can apply these tools. Introducing Jessica Herzog-Hall Jessica Herzog-Hall is a trauma-informed educator focused...
Supporting Parents in Elkhart County
At the Building Strong Brains Annual Summit on November 11, eight parents took the stage and candidly discussed what it takes to raise children in Elkhart County today. Moderated by Paul Shetler Fast, executive director of Maple City Health Care Center, the parent panel brought together families with very different stories—military and...
Building a Culture of Hope: Highlights from the 2025 Building Strong Brains Summit
More than 100 educators, caregivers, health professionals, parents, policymakers, and community partners gathered at Goshen College on November 11 for the second annual Building Strong Brains Summit. After more than three years of coordinated, countywide collaboration, the coalition came together once again to learn, connect, and strengthen its...
Building Strong Brains Annual Summit
The Building Strong Brains Coalition invites parents, partners, and community members to gather for our Annual Early Childhood Summit. Together, we’ll explore how positive experiences build resilience and shape the future for children and families across Elkhart County. Event Details Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2025Time: 8:30 a.m.–3:00...
Welcome Our New Staff Members
Patty Rose serves as the Assistant Director of Early Childhood Health and Community Supports for the Building Strong Brains Early Childhood Initiative. In this role, she works closely with Coalition leadership to lead and advance maternal and child health efforts, facilitate action teams, and strengthen community engagement throughout Elkhart...
Supporting Families, Finding Resources
The launch of Findhelp was successful and continues to expand into Elkhart County. Initial data indicates a successful launch and growth in resource connections. Findhelp.org is a web portal that simplifies easily searching for local community programs that offer free and reduced-cost services, helping support individuals with living a healthier...
Quarterly Convening Recap
Building Strong Brains partners gathered June 10 at the Goshen College Fellowship Hall for the quarterly convening. The meeting brought together more than 70 participants to reflect on recent progress, share insights, and plan for the work ahead to help every child in Elkhart County thrive. Updates highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Family...
Lilly GIFT VIII Projects Launched
Thanks to the generous GIFT VIII funding awarded by Lilly Endowment in December 2024 and the dedication of BSB partners, several new collaborative projects are launching in spring and summer 2025, building on the many efforts already in progress. Head Start Boot Camp This eight-week summer program focused on kindergarten readiness skills for...
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