The Great Start Collaborative of Kent County provides resources to families to address the needs of children in West Michigan stay one step ahead. They ensure that children are born healthy, thrive healthily, are developmentally prepared in school, and exceed reading proficiency after third grade.
For the past six years, the organization has lead the "One County, One Book" initiative, placing books and literacy kits to West Michigan families so children meet third grade reading requirements and beyond. With the elimination of 32p funding from the Michigan State Budget, 2026 will mark the final year for the program.
To start the final year off strong, the organization will hold a special launch celebration at Alger Head Start, located at 256 Alger Street in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, January 21 from 10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. The event is free to attend and open to all.
The featured book for this year's campaign is Wimee's Dreams, which includes an interactive literacy kit for families in both English and Spanish.
Paula Brown, Great Start Collaborative Director, sat down with Michelle to discuss the campaign's evolution, impact, and future.
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