April ICS eNews

ICS Launches Strong Nation

New Strong Nation initiative will continue

ReadyNation, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, and

Mission: Readiness advocacy work

The Institute for Child Success (ICS) is proud to announce the seamless continuation of the essential children’s advocacy initiatives previously led by Council for a Strong America (CSA). Following almost thirty impactful years of mobilizing law enforcement, business, and retired military leaders to champion evidence-based policies that strengthen our nation by supporting children, CSA concluded its operations in late 2024. In light of this transition, ICS has committed to preserving the legacy of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, ReadyNation, and Mission: Readiness by adding these initiatives to our existing portfolio of work to ensure the success of children.

Through the launch of ICS’s new Strong Nation initiative, we will collaborate closely with former CSA staff and members to ensure that Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, ReadyNation, and Mission: Readiness continue to thrive at both the national level and in those states with established offices working to promote the programs (Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington).

For over a decade, ICS has partnered with the former CSA and we are excited to carry forward its essential programs and vision through the new Strong Nation initiative. Strong Nation will enhance the mission of ICS, empowering us to ensure that even more young children and their families succeed and thrive, while continuing to mobilize the impactful voices of law enforcement, business, and retired military leaders.

To learn more about Strong Nation, please contact Jill Boxler at jboxler@strongnation.org or visit Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, ReadyNation, and Mission: Readiness.

ICS CEO Jamie Moon and Jill Boxler, Executive Vice President of Strong Nation

Celebrating Loranne Ausley:

Champion for Children and Board Vice Chair

of the Institute for Child Success

ICS is proud to spotlight our esteemed Board Vice Chair, Loranne Ausley, whose unwavering dedication to improving the lives of children has left an indelible mark on Florida's legislative landscape. Loranne has been honored as the 2025 Chiles Advocate Award for her decades of service to young children.

Loranne's commitment to child welfare is exemplified through her pivotal role in establishing Whole Child Leon, an initiative aimed at addressing critical issues affecting youth and their families in the community. Additionally, she championed the creation of the Florida Youth Cabinet, providing young Floridians with a platform to voice their concerns and influence policy decisions. Her legislative achievements include the passage of the Foster Children's Bill of Rights, a bipartisan effort to codify the rights of children in the state's foster care system, ensuring priority is given to their physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Currently, Loranne is working with Leon County schools to implement their recent SIPPRA (Social Impact Partnerships to Pay for Results Act) award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This innovative funding will help create new opportunities to improve outcomes for children through universal programming for families, funding evidence-based initiatives that drive positive social results. Beyond her legislative work, Loranne serves on the Board of Directors of the Claude Pepper Foundation and is a member of the Orange Bowl Committee. Her leadership continues to inspire and drive positive change for children and families across Florida.

Read more here.

View the video celebrating Loranne at her award ceremony.

ICS's Jamie Moon, Mary C. Garvey, and Kaitlin Watts celebrate Loranne Ausley.

Upcoming Webinars!

Join our ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellows

for two exciting webinar presentations:

Moving Towards Healing: Physical Activity as an Important Intervention for Early Childhood ACEs

This webinar is intended for those who support young children's development. Participants will come away with important information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the powerful role physical activity can play in managing their impact. ACEs can affect a child's development in the short term and lead to long-term health challenges. By understanding ACEs and encouraging regular physical activity, we can help children build resilience and reduce the risk of these lasting effects, promoting better overall well-being as they grow.

Date: Tuesday, May 13^th 

Time: 4:00-5:00pm ET

Presenter: Jacob Mathis

ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellow

Introduction to Advocacy: Helping Families to Elevate as a Whole

Calling all advocates! Yes, that means Y-O-U! Did you know that South Carolina ranks 42nd in education? Join Code Fellows Candice George and CaNihja Simon as they explore the challenges that South Carolina families currently face and shed light on advocacy as a tool that can be used to support them. In this training you will learn what kind of advocate you are and practical avenues of advocacy that you can participate in. We will introduce you to the special Advocates Almanac project the Code Fellows are working on! You can be a voice for change. Will you answer the call?

Date: Saturday, May 17^th 

Time: 10:00am-11:00am ET

Presenters: CaNihja Simon and Candice George

ICS Merl Code Early Educators Fellows

ICS Presents at SXSW EDU

Dr. Mari Strand Cary presents with FamilyCook Productions at SXSW EDU.

Dr. Mari Strand Cary, ICS VP of Research and Evaluation, recently presented with FamilyCook Productions at SXSW EDU 2025. Together, they presented on "Nourishing Minds: The Power of Food in Early Learning."

ICS provides FamilyCook Productions with evaluation support for their Nibble with Willow nutrition education program. FamilyCook Productions is a Grand Prize winner of FUEL for 50, a challenge sponsored by our partner Robin Hood Foundation. This challenge provides support and funding for nonprofits dedicated to helping young children thrive.

Through ICS's evaluation support, FamilyCook Productions is able to demonstrate how their Nibble with Willow program supports children's development and strengthens parent-child relationships. By demonstrating program impact, organizations such as FamilyCook Productions are empowered to increase participation, funding, and engagement from educators and families alike.

Read about FamilyCook Production's key takeaways from the event.

Learn more about ICS's measurement & evaluation support services.

Tell Us Your ICS Story!

Has ICS helped empower you to change the lives of children?

We'd love to hear from you!

Click the link below to share your experiences with ICS.

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ICS works on behalf of children from prenatal to age 8.

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