Best Starts for Kids Plan Approved by County Council

King County Council unanimously approved the implementation plan for the Best Starts for Kids Levy. This is a significant moment to be celebrated. 

September 21, 2016

By Aaron Robertson, Senior Officer, Community Programs

On Monday, September 19th, the King County Council unanimously approved the implementation plan for the Best Starts for Kids Levy. This is a significant moment to be celebrated.

The Best Starts for Kids Levy was the first ballot measure endorsed by Seattle Foundation – the first time the Foundation has taken a position on a ballot initiative in its nearly 70-year history. The approved plan will guide how nearly $400 million will be invested over the next six years to increasing the number of children who are born healthy and have the support and community to reach adulthood ready to succeed.

A key part of the implementation plan is the Communities of Opportunity Initiative, which is co-led by Seattle Foundation.  Communities of Opportunity was launched in 2014 with the ambitious goal of creating greater health, social, economic, and racial equity in King County so that all people thrive and prosper. It stems from a recognition that the region’s overall high quality of life is masking profound differences by place and race – differences that, if left unchecked, will affect the well-being and prosperity of our entire region.

This unique public-private and community-based partnership allows us to achieve greater impact and broader system change by aligning our efforts through a collective impact approach that breaks silos. We work together with diverse community partners and multi-sector stakeholders in this effort to focus on upstream policy improvements to benefit the region as a whole.

To learn more, visit Best Starts for Kids or contact Alice Ito at a.ito@seattlefoundation.org. 

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social equality,  Basic Needs,  economic opportunity,  healthy community framework,  philanthropists,  education,  Children and youth,