Lansing Area Women Come Together to Support Child Care, Early Childhood Education

LANSING, Mich. – More than 200 area women are expected to raise money for child care and early education programs by attending a Women’s Caring Program (WCP) Twilight Gathering next week.

Twilight Gatherings bring women together throughout the summer to support WCP’s Childcare Commitment program, which helps low-income, working families pay for licensed child care and early childhood education expenses. Kelly Rossman-McKinney, CEO of Lansing-based strategic communications firm Truscott Rossman, is hosting the local event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at her home, 1820 Canyon Trail in Lansing.

The event, which sprouted from a front porch gathering of women in 1979, has helped WCP raise more than $2 million statewide for Childcare Commitment since it was launched.

“We believe that, collectively, we all have one asset too important to fail and that is our children,” said Women’s Caring Program founder Carol Walters. ”Our organization focuses on the needs of the children in working poor families, who need quality early education and care to make them kindergarten ready while their parents are working to provide for them.”

The Lansing event will feature 18 co-hostesses: Joan Bauer, Stella Cash, Carol Conn, Debbie Dingell, Barb Farrah, Annie Farrell, Terri Haas-Wittman, Amy Kraus, Nell Kuhnmuench, Jan Lockwood, Nancy McKeague, Colleen McNamara, Nancy Moody, Julie Novak, Polly Reber, Shelly Stahl, Kathy Wilbur and Deborah Zannoth.

In addition, three special guests of honor will attend: Michigan Department of Human Services Director Maura Corrigan, Michigan Department of Community Health Director Olga Dazzo and Michigan State Police Director Kriste Etue.

There are more than 350 children on the ChildCare Commitment’s waiting list.

“Too often, we find that government and private assistance programs focus only on the most disadvantaged among us,” said WCP President Colleen Robar. ”Through ChildCare Commitment, we bring much-needed stability to the lives of working Michigan families for whom just a little help can make all the difference, making kindergarten readiness and future success in life more of a reality.”

Twilight Gatherings have been held this year in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe and Battle Creek. In addition to the Lansing event Monday, a Twilight Gathering is scheduled Aug. 18 in Novi.

To RSVP to attend a Twilight Gathering and learn more about the Women’s Caring Program, visit www.womenscaringprogram.org.