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Rhode Island Strolling Thunder 2025, May 1st!
We’re strolling with babies to the State House! Do you have a baby or young child? Are you struggling with

Share Your Story
We need Rhode Island parents and families to share their stories about accessing affordable, quality child care, finding a pediatrician,

Share Your Story: How Has the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Helped You?
Are you a low or moderate-income working parent and have you received a tax refund through the state and federal

WPRI Community Focus On The High Cost Of Child Care In Rhode Island
In case you missed it, Lisa Hildebrand of the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children recently joined

RIght Start Joins With Legislative Champions To Advocate For Child Care Is Essential Act
On April 1st, we joined with with Representative Grace Diaz and Senator Lammis Vargas at the Comprehensive Community Action Program

Boston Globe RI Commentary: Amid Soaring Child Care Costs & Staff Shortages, Investing In Child Care Is Crucial For Rhode Island’s Future
The Boston Globe Rhode Island recently ran a great commentary by our partners at the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island

Child Care Is Essential Act Fact Sheet
Check out our full fact sheet on the 2025 Rhode Island Child Care is Essential Act, critical legislation that will:

RIght Start Fact Sheets
Please find fact sheets below for all of our 2025 legislative priorities: Child Care Is Essential Fact Sheet Rhode Island

Rhode Island Pre-K Implementation & Expansion Guidelines Fact Sheet
Read our full fact sheet on legislation sponsored by Rep. Joseph McNamara and Sen. Hanna Gallo (H-5199/S-0394) to establish guidelines

Early Childhood IDEA Task Force 2025 Fact Sheet
Check out our full fact sheet on H-5164 by Rep. Lauren Carson and S-0231 by Sen. Bridget Valverde to establish

Rhode Island PBS Weekly Profiles Successful Childcare For Childcare Educators Pilot
Watch this excellent Rhode Island PBS Weekly piece on the challenges facing Rhode Island’s early education workforce and how the

More Rhode Island Families Now Qualify For Subsidized Child Care
Attention RI families with young children: The state has expanded eligibility for the Child Care Assistance Program. If you are

RIAEYC & RI Dept. of Human Services Recognize Excellence in the RI Early Childhood Education Registered Apprenticeship Program
Building Futures recently recognized the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children (RIAEYC) and the RI Department of

41 Rhode Island Child Care, Policy, Education & Business Leaders Sign Joint Letter Urging Governor McKee To Include Two Key Provisions In His FY 2026 State Budget
A broad coalition of 41 leading Rhode Island organizations have signed onto a petition urging Governor McKee to remove a

RIght from the Start FY 2026 State Budget Priorities for Kids & Families
Check out our FY 2026 State Budget Priorities designed to invest in the health and education of our kids, make child

Roshona’s Story: Make the Child Care for Child Care Educators Program Permanent to Help Early Educators Statewide
My name is Roshona Perry, and I am a teacher at Joyful Noise Inc. in West Warwick. I work as

Alba’s Story: Unusual & Burdensome State Child Support Enforcement Requirement Makes It Difficult to Access Child Care Subsidy
My name is Alba, a determined single mother of a one-year-old. I am a hardworking mom, currently studying nursing at

Sign Our Petitions To Make Child Care More Accessible & Affordable!
Businesses lose money when they can’t find staff and when their employees don’t show up to work. Parents’ inability to

RIght Start Candidate Guide: Policies To Ensure All RI Kids & Families Can Thrive
RIght from the Start is sharing the following information to help educate candidates for elected office about policy and budget

RIght Start Urges Key Policy Changes & Investments in the FY 2026 State Budget Now Being Crafted by the McKee Administration
While the General Assembly is not in session until January, Governor Dan McKee and state agencies are busy crafting the

Parents Help Shape RIght Start Priorities for Next Legislative Session
We recently held our annual RIght Start policy and planning retreat. A big thank you to our amazing group of

2024 General Assembly Session Wins for Rhode Island Babies & Young Children
Working with Governor McKee, our champions in the General Assembly, and dedicated advocates like you we helped to secure the

Right from the Start Campaign Statement on the FY 2025 State Budget Approved by the House Finance Committee
The RIght from the Start campaign is pleased to see several additional investments in the FY 2025 state budget approved

Rhode Island Strolling Thunder 2024 A Big Success!
On May 9th, babies, young children, families, and advocates “strolled” from the Providence Marriott to the State House for Strolling

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Sustain RI’s Psychiatry Resource Network (PRN) For Moms, Babies, and Children
H-7204 (Shallcross Smith) & S-2072 (DiMario) “It’s the most reliable program that I have worked with in my twenty years

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Child Care Is Essential 2024
H-7124 (Diaz) & S-2847 (Cano) Child Care is Essential Why Focus on Child Care? Families need access to affordable, high-quality

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Stabilize Health Coverage For Young Children By Adopting Continuous Medicaid Coverage Birth Up To Age 6
Stable health insurance coverage for babies and young children helps children receive high-quality and timely preventive health care, including vaccinations

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Early Intervention Legislation 2024
Governor’s FY25 Budget Proposal Article 9, Section 5 H-7334 (Cotter) & S-2359 (Valverde) H-7123 (Diaz) & S-2344 (DiMario) Rhode Island’s

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Meeting Rhode Island Young Children’s Mental Health Needs
H-7900 (Fogarty) & S-2608 (DiMario) In 2023, the Rhode Island Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Taskforce issued a plan

RIght Start Fact Sheet: Expanding RI Pre-K Equitably In Birth To 5 Early Care & Education System 2024
H-7497 (McNamara) & S-2843 (Gallo) The 2022 RI Pre-K Expansion Report commissioned by the General Assembly points out that expansion