The latest Maine Kids Count Data Book brought some staggering trends into stark relief. In this Press Herald op-ed, John T. Gorman Foundation President & CEO Nicole Witherbee says the report should be a call to action for anyone who cares about the future of our children and our state – and points to several initiatives that could serve as models for moving forward.

Here at the John T. Gorman Foundation, we are concerned by these trends and their implications. In response, we have recently refocused our efforts and support in three ways: investing more intensively in our state’s children, focusing on building resiliency and preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and using whole-family approaches that serve parents and children simultaneously.

As we collectively look for effective responses to the latest data, we believe there is much to learn from these approaches – and the partnerships that exemplify them. Around the state, dozens of organizations are trying innovative approaches to tackling these challenges and are seeing promising results.

To read the full piece, visit the Press Herald.