When it comes to investing, people always want to know what the returns will be. But, these returns don’t always have to be monetary. At MountainStar Family Relief Nursery, it’s the children who reap the rewards.
A local nonprofit organization, MountainStar got its start in Bend in 2001 when community members came together and decided that more quality services were needed for families with young children facing extreme challenges. Today, it serves over 300 children per year at a cost of $10,000 per child and family.
“Having any sort of investment in early childhood yields returns upon returns upon returns,” says executive director Kara Tachikawa. “That means that the child is more likely to be successful in school and have better graduation rates, get higher paying jobs and invest back into their local, as well as national, economy. They are also more likely to have healthier relationships in the future.”
There are a myriad of ways that people can invest in MountainStar and help them achieve their goals. Of course, first and foremost is by donating funds. The nonprofit hosts multiple fundraisers each year, including its Keep Kids Safe Campaign that runs through April and May.
“We want to raise awareness so everyone can understand MountainStar’s trauma-informed prevention work that breaks multi-generational cycles of abuse and neglect," says development director Staley Micken. “We want to connect and inspire the larger community around child abuse prevention and the importance of investing in early development. Giving our community’s children the best start possible should always be our top priority.”
Another way that people can support MountainStar is by volunteering, whether that’s in the classrooms interacting directly with children, organizing its food banks, clothing closets, painting classrooms, joining fundraising efforts, and being advocates for children. Speaking with legislators and supporting policies that benefit children and families can have long-term outcomes for generations to come.
Since April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, it’s a great time to get involved. “Our youngest children are the most at risk for population for child abuse in Central Oregon and across the state. These are our babies and toddlers and our most vulnerable population,” she says. “Science tells us that the brain is developing faster during the first five years, and specifically for the first three years, than it ever will again.”
Micken explains that this period is the most important time for development in a child's life and if a child is experiencing severe upheaval and abuse in the home, it changes the neurological and physiological makeup of a child's body.
“For kids who have experienced a lot of early trauma and chaos, the ability to make healthy decisions and to maintain healthy relationships throughout the rest of their lives is really challenging. But, we know if we can get in early enough and focus on supporting kids in that 0 to 5 age range, we can get them on track for healthy development. We also help parents be the best that they can be so their kids stay safe and their family has an opportunity to thrive.” To find out more about these statistics, Tachikawa suggests checking out Nobel Prize winning University of Chicago Economics Professor James Heckman's work – “to understand the great gains to be had by investing in the early and equal development of human potential.” (HeckmanEquation.org)
And how about this for a return on investment? An incredible 97 percent of children served by MountainStar remain safe from abuse and neglect.
Of course, people can also support children by looking out for and assisting families in their own neighborhoods who are struggling. “A resilient community is leaning in, they're checking on their neighbors, especially those with young children, and they're making sure that they are okay,” explains Tachikawa. “We're so proud and so invested in the work that we do every day and we want the community to be stepping up alongside us in every way possible. Like they always say, ‘Share the joy and it is doubled and share the burden and it is halved.’”
To find out more about MountainStar Family Relief Nursery and support the work they do, find them online at MtStar.org.
@mountainstar_relief_nursery