About this directory
This directory was created by the Concord Children's Initiative, with the assistance of grant funding, to support the needs of families with young children in the Concord area. This directory is intended to serve as a resource for parents, caregivers, and professionals concerned about youth up to age 6. For recommended changes to this directory, contact the United Way of Merrimack County at 603-224-2595 and ask to talk with the Concord Children's Initiative liaison. This directory is also available in PDF .
About the Concord Children's Initiative
The Concord Children's Initiative is a nonprofit organization that was created in 1994 through a merger of the Concord Preschool Taskforce and the Concord Success by Six Coalition. This mission of the Concord Children's Initiative is to create a nurturing, caring, safe, and supportive community of people and organizations that places priority on all children and families, and encourages them to reach their full potential.
The vision of the Concord Children's Initiative is that:
- The community will value the importance of children and families.
- Resources will be available, affordable and accessible for all children and families.
- Opportunities will be integrated for all children and families, so as to avoid labels, stigma, and social and cultural stratification.
- The community of families will be kept aware of resources through multiple outlets.
- New families will be welcomed into supportive atmospheres and educated about the resources available.
- Organizations serving children and families will work collaboratively to achieve common goals.
Over the years the Concord Children's Initiative has sponsored the following activities:
- Recognized businesses that have child- and family-friendly access, atmospheres, and employment policies.
- Conducted focus groups that provided insight regarding how Concord relates to and supports families with young children.
- Honored teachers and childcare providers for the important work they do.
- Held "brown bag lunches" to provide professional development opportunities.
- Offered an attachment seminar that brought a nationally recognized expert to NH to speak to professionals from all part of the state.
- Provided a conference for 200 parents called Parenting: The Toughest Job in Town that included over 20 workshops.
- Engaged in a fall 2005 planning session to determine direction of CCI, and decided that it will continue to meet monthly for the purposes of self-education, sharing, and problem solving.
Members: Concord Children's Initiative annual dues are $35 for an organization or $15 for an individual.
Organizational Members:
- Casey Family Services
- Concord Family YMCA
- Concord Head Start and Early Head Start
- Concord Hospital Center for Health Promotion
- Child and Family Services
- The Children's Place and Parent Education Center
- Concord Public Library
- Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association
- Early Learning NH
- Families in Transition
- Merrimack Valley Day Care
- Riverbend Community Mental Health, Parent-Child Center
- United Way of Merrimack County
- Woodside School
Individual Members:
- Philip Yeaton