Leelanau League of Women Voters host Early Childhood Millage forum

From staff reports

Five years ago, Leelanau County residents passed a millage for early childhood services. The millage is now up for renewal in a vote scheduled for August. With the goal of informing the community about how this funding has been used, the League of Women Voters Leelanau County is sponsoring an April 3 forum titled “The Early Childhood Millage—What it Supports and Why it Matters.” The forum takes place from 7-8 pm at the Suttons Bay High School auditorium.

According to the Leelanau League, since the millage’s initial passage, the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department has used the funding to ensure many of the needed services for Leelanau County children up to age 6. The services are provided principally through the Parenting Communities program, a widely used service-delivery model adopted by the department after passage of the earlier millage. To coordinate services, streamline referrals, and eliminate duplication, the program has partnered with many of the area’s community-based child-serving organizations.

In addition to hearing about the rationale for the millage, forum audience members will learn about some of the services and the outcomes for those who have received them. They will also hear from parents sharing their views about how their children have benefited from the millage-funded programming.

Come in person and meet some of the Parenting Communities staff or register in advance and Zoom from home.