Calling families with children ages 0 to 3 to participate in Strolling Thunder 2020! Even as we face an unprecedented health and economic crisis, all Rhode Island kids, regardless of zip code, race, ethnicity, or family income, deserve to get off the right start in life. 

As news about COVID-19 has evolved, we have decided to change this year’s Strolling Thunder to a virtual event happening through social media on May 20, 2020!  Please join us by sending a photo of your family with a baby in a stroller so we can share it on social media and connect you with your elected representatives in the General Assembly and Congress. 

We would also like to know a little bit about you and the reasons you support these policies . By sharing your personal experiences (we’ve included simple prompts in the registration form), you’ll educate your policymakers on how the priorities below would impact families across Rhode Island.

  • More funding for child care so that programs can meet health, safety, and quality standards when they reopen, while being affordable for essential workers and the general public. Child care is essential and programs need extensive support to reopen and operate safely.
  • More funding for family home visiting programs to continue virtual support to parents and drop off of resources needed by families with new babies and young children at home. Programs like Healthy Families, Nurse-Family Partnership, and Parents as Teachers can be a lifeline for families.
  • Strategies to raise the wages of early educators in child care and home visiting programs. Professionals who work with our youngest children should not earn poverty-level wages.

Click here to learn more about the RIght from the Start Campaign’s policy priorities.  

How can I participate?

A gift to say thank you!
  • We have eighty $25 Amazon e-gift cards to share with families who participate by sending a photo and completing the participation. 
  • We’re hoping to receive a photo from all 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island - from Burrillville to Little Compton and Westerly to Woonsocket.
  • The first family to submit from each city/town will receive an e-gift card as a thank you for participating. We will offer remaining gift cards to families who submit their photo and participation form early. We hope this gift card helps your family during this difficult time.  

Click here to see photos from last year’s event. We are disappointed that we are not able to gather in-person this year, and we look forward to seeing your photo submissions.

Sincerely,

RIght from the Start

RIght from the Start is a campaign to advance policies for young children and their families in Rhode Island. RIght from the Start Steering Committee members include Beautiful Beginnings, Economic Progress Institute, Latino Policy Institute, Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health, Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, and Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association.

Think Babies Rhode Island is part of a national movement to advance state policies benefiting infants and toddlers. We are working to improve access to high-quality child care for infants and toddlers, paid family leave, evidence-based family home visiting, regular and routine developmental screenings with access to Early Intervention and other needed services, including infant, early childhood, and family mental health services. Strolling Thunder is made possible in partnership with Think Babies Rhode Island and Rhode Island KIDS COUNT.