MARK YOUR CALENDAR: The Local Crowd Monadnock and Monadnock United Way are teaming up to strengthen children and families in our community.

Join us for the Start Small, Think Big campaign from May 10 through June 11. All gifts given to this crowdfunding campaign will benefit Monadnock United Way’s signature impact program, Impact Monadnock (IM). IM seeks to improve outcomes for all children in the Monadnock Region, from birth to age eight, and their families.

Poverty, adverse experiences, and limited access to quality child-care negatively affect a child’s ability to grow to his or her fullest potential.

Unfortunately, children in the Monadnock Region are affected by these factors more than most children in the state:

• Just under 15% of children in Cheshire County were living in poverty in 2016, the second highest level in the state
• Cheshire County has the third highest rate of child abuse and neglect in NH
• The Monadnock Region has funding for just 16% of children eligible for Head Start, which serves children living at or below the poverty line.  Many working families who do not qualify for state assistance experience challenges paying for quality child-care.

You can make a difference. 

The most important investment we can make—focusing on the welfare of children from birth to age eight creates a strong foundation for their future health and happiness. And this in turn, leads to more stability and prosperity for the communities where they live.

Please stay tuned for our campaign launch.  For more information, visit muw.org/impact.