About Us
Good Beginnings Alliance (GBA) is Hawai`i’s leading independent voice dedicated to ensuring young children are safe, healthy and ready to succeed.
Every day, we strive to ensure a safety net exists so all children have the support and opportunity to grow into thriving, successful adults.
To this end, GBA remains in a heightened state of awareness to call attention to the needs of our children; we use data to support and bring that awareness to business, community, education, healthcare, and government; and we develop recommendations and comprehensive solutions so those in power can make decisions that ensure the safety, health and readiness of all Hawai`i’s children.
GBA is a member of Voices for America’s Children
ONE VOICE Mtg Recap
On Friday, January 22, 2010 over 60 advocates for children representing the health, safety, and education sectors of the early childhood arena met to develop a common platform supporting Hawaii’s young children and families. The goal of the group is to garner increased public will for a comprehensive system of services available to Hawaii’s keiki. Click here to see meeting minutes.
The attendees are concerned about the depth of cuts to services for children and are interested in coming together to advocate through a common agenda.
Good Beginnings Alliance convened the meeting to encourage the formation of a common agenda and proposed the convening of candidates’ forums for those for public office to tell their platforms in relation to these issues.
On January 22, the attendees were asked to review a position statement approved by the Good Beginnings Alliance Board of Directors as a jumping point for discussion. They were asked to reflect on its contents and take it back to their own organizations for feedback. What would they change? What is missing? The intent is to develop a common document which all the advocates could support.
Participants voted One Voice for Children as a title they thought was appropriate for this collaborative advocating body.
Attendees of the meeting volunteered to work in committees during the next month to refine the position statement, discuss organizational structure, and plan strategic next steps.
The group will reconvene on Friday, February 19, 9 – 11 am in the Parish Hall at Central Union Church to review input gathered from their organizations and to decide on a final name and the wording of a common platform.
Please email if you would like to become involved in this important effort.
