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Reach Dane is proud to be a part of the Northside Early Childhood Zone (NECZ) where young children have access to grow to their highest potential starting during pregnancy. This initiative will ensure that families have stable employment and community connections, which strengthens a child's home life. Children are therefore ready to thrive when they start school. Reaching this vision will make closing the achievement gap a reality.
ZONE HISTORY
In 2013, Dane County Department of Human Services and United Way of Dane County launched the first Early Childhood Zone in the Leopold School enrollment area. In 2014, a new ECZ was opened in Sun Prairie. The Northside Early Childhood Zone opened in January, 2017. The Northside Early Childhood Zone is a public/private partnership among the City of Madison, United Way and the Roots and Wings Foundation. It serves the school districts of Gompers, Lake View, Lindbergh, and Mendota Elementary Schools, as well as the Brentwood Neighborhood. The Northside Early Childhood Zone will follow the same vision established for prior Zones and provide these core components:
- Home visitation services for families from pregnancy until 4-K or Kindergarten entry. Along with Reach Dane’s Early Head Start (EHS), the NECZ houses the Early Childhood Initiative (ECI) and Welcome Baby and Beyond (WBB) from RISE Wisconsin.
- Housing case management through the Community Action Coalition (CAC).
- Employment and training assistance supported by Forward Services Corporation’s FSET, Family Stabilization Program; Children’s Wisconsin’s Employment and Education Services (EES).
- Mental Health services through RISE Wisconsin and The Rainbow Project.
- Family oriented activities supported by our Family Engagement Specialist from Reach Dane and United Way.
In addition, the NECZ will be an enhanced zone and will extend home visiting program opportunities for eligible women who are pregnant or fathers who are primary caregivers of newborns and who are living in the NECZ geographic zone. The enhancements will also address the need for providing adequate childcare opportunities and support for mental health needs.
STRONG COMMUNITY
Currently the NECZ is located at 2911 Packers Avenue on Madison’s Northside. The NECZ will establish partnerships within this vibrant community by:
- Engaging with the already strong neighborhood centers to attract young parents to program possibilities. Growing leadership already present in neighborhood members.
- Establishing relationships with neighborhood businesses and organizations.
- Working with MMSD and community schools
- Partnering with organizations to support access to health care services.
For more information about the NECZ, please visit www.eczdane.org
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