Planet Laundry Nov 2020

SUMMI T 2020

stores, librarians and educators plan to launch laundromat outreach pilot programs, and community leaders will create literacy-rich spaces in everyday spaces using signage and tools to distribute early learning resources to parents and caregivers. By the conclusion of the three-day event, nearly 40 new action plans had been created. And two conference participants who submitted plans were selected to receive free, large-sized Family Read, Play & Learn kits, donated by Lakeshore Learning Materials. “We know that now, even more than ever, it is critical to reach families with resources to support early learning and brain development,”explained Jane Park, director of Too Small to Fail. “The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exacerbate learning gaps, making it even more challenging for many children to show up to school prepared to learn. Too Small to Fail is proud to partner with the LaundryCares Foundation to convene a diverse coalition of laundromat owners, business leaders, librarians, community leaders and more – all dedicated to increasing access to high-quality spaces and materials to help young children learn and thrive.” “This event demonstrates the potential that neighborhood businesses like ours have to directly impact the communities we serve,”Wallace said. “Laundromat owners are now seeing proof that making literacy-rich spaces and books available at their stores will help children reach their potential. We are excited to scale our Family Read, Play & Learn spaces to hundreds more laundromats across the country as part of our mission to meet families where they are with the resources they need most.” For more information about the LaundryCares Foundation or details on Family Read, Play & Learn spaces, please visit: www.laundrycares.org .

Naumann explained. “This award is well-deserved by everyone associated with the CPL and their innovative outreach efforts.” The CPL’s STEAMTeam is being honored for its creativity and commitment tohigh-quality programming for young children and families. Bringing high-touch family engagement opportunities to laundromat programming across Chicago got parents and caregivers more involved, led to language gains for children – and is now considered a national model for effectiveness. The partnership between the City of Milwaukee and its Office of Early Childhood Initiatives has been nothing short of inspiring. “As a Milwaukee-area resident, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact our local partners have had by installingmini-library spaces in laundromats,”Naumann said. “This is an ideal model of government and business working together to solve a critical problem.” The unique coming together of city government with the Office of Early Childhood and the Milwaukee Public Library, in partnership with Milwaukee laundromats, not only brought early learning programs into community laundromats, but it also scaled the work into juvenile and family courts and other everyday places. The City of Milwaukee’s Office of Early Childhood Initiatives works collaboratively to ensure that all Milwaukee children, ages 0 to 3 years old, have access to high-quality learning environments and are prepared for academic, social-emotional and lifelong success. What’s Next? With Summit 2020 in the rearviewmirror, the LaundryCares Foundation and Too Small to Fail will go to work testing new approaches and refining strategies to increase“caregiver-child engagement.” With support from theWilliam Penn Foundation, partners will create and test additional literacy-rich elements and experiences for children and families in three Philadelphia laundromats. Results from this study will further inform the organizations’ future efforts to engage families in laundromats. In addition, throughout the Summit, participants were encouraged to submit action plans on how they will take steps to support children and families in laundromats in their communities. Owners pledged to integrate Family Read, Play & Learn spaces in their

7

coinlaundry.org November 2020

Connect. Learn. Grow