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Every Kid Matters: The Case for Early Childhood Investment

DETROIT (WWJ) -  It's a case of 'pay now' or 'pay later.'  The point made by Ali Webb with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, who spoke on the need to focus on early childhood development.

Every Kid Matters

Governor Snyder's recent announcement to invest millions of dollars in the Great Start early childhood education program is a good step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.

"We are going to pay if we fail to help these children reach their full potential," says Webb. "It is morally the right thing to do - we need to care for our youngest residents."

"Great Start readiness is only one investment, we need to make investments on home visiting programs, so that folks come and help parents with their children and their children's health, we need children to have access to medical care - so - education is just one leg of this chair," says Webb.

Guest, Doug Stewart with the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation says when children are prepared early in life, that translates into savings for the state.

"The people in this work found that for every single ... additional child, reaching the Detroit kindergarten door ready to learn, saves us almost $100,000. One child," says Stewart.

WWJ Newsradio 950, in partnership with the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and The Kresge Foundation, will air a series of special broadcasts this year focused on early childhood development.

WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas will host "Every Kid Matters: The Case for Early Childhood Investment"  at 7 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month.  This year-long series will bring awareness to the important issues that affect early childhood, and the steps needed to ensure  that Michigan's children have an equal opportunity to realize their full potential in school, work and life.

Guests included:

  • Wendy Jackson, Kresge Foundation
  • Ali Webb, WK Kellogg Foundation
  • Doug Stewart, Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation

Tune in to WWJ Newsradio 950 on the last Wednesday of each month for the one hour special on a variety of topics hosted by WWJ's Vickie Thomas.

The next "Every Kid Matters: The Case for Early Childhood Investment" will be, Wednesday, March 25.

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