Hendersonville’s Children & Family Resource Center recently held a ribbon cutting for its newest project called GLO Moible, and it also announced that it has been named a Family Forward NC Certified Employer by the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s Family Forward NC initiative.
The ribbon cutting for its GLO Mobile vehicle, which is a renovated 30-foot camper featuring a library with age-appropriate books and classroom centers to promote motor skills was held on Nov. 14. GLO stands for Grow, Learn Outreach, and the mobile will reach children under the age of 5 who are not enrolled in preschool to support their learning by creating fun and interactive high-quality learning experiences, according to a press release.
It will be a vehicle for outreach in Henderson County to engage caregivers and their children, providing access to the support needed to begin kindergarten ready to learn the release said. It will also serve to provide access to community resources, such as food pantries, diapers, formula and health care.
“The GLO Mobile will meet families where they are, connecting those who are isolated to resources, offering chances for connection with others, and providing high-quality early childhood experiences to those with barriers such as lack of transportation, the availability of child care, and the high cost of child care,” said Jamie Wiener, Executive Director of CFRC.
The Resource Center was also happy to announce about its recent certification by Family Forward NC, which is an innovative initiative launched in 2018 to improve children’s health and well-being and keep North Carolina’s businesses competitive, the release said.
A Family Forward NC Employer Certification designates employers that offer policies and practices that support the health and well-being of working families and children. To achieve certification, an employer must offer best-practice policies in one or more of five main areas: paid leave and wages; accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding workers; child care; health and wellness benefits; and scheduling practices.
“At Children & Family Resource Center, our work is grounded in building healthy foundations for little ones and their families,” Wiener said. “All of these family-friendly practices have long-term beneficial effects for the parent or caregiver, the child, and us as the employer. A healthier child leads to a healthier employee and not only reduces absenteeism and turnover but contributes to a thriving community in the future.”
“Employers want to attract and retain the best employees, and they want those employees to be happy and healthy,” said Muffy Grant, executive director of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation, in the press release.