Fifth Annual Nancy Latimer Convening for Children

Jane Ellison & Linda Kaufmann accept
"The Nancy" award on behalf of
the Initiative Foundation.

On June 29th I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Fifth Annual Nancy Latimer Convening for Children in which the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations were the recipients of "The Nancy" Award for their work with the Minnesota Thrive Initiative. The Thrive Initiative was launched in 2007 to promote the healthy social and emotional development of our youngest children.

Right here in Central Minnesota, the Greater St. Cloud Area Thrive Initiative is working to ensure that all families have access to the information and resources they need. Their current focuses include:

• Integrate medical and mental health, school and childcare services in a family centered manner.
• Create a grassroots movement to make early childhood mental health funding a priority with policy makers.
• Ensure that every parent and every expectant parent understands the importance of healthy social and emotional development and has access to community based resources.
• Increase the number and enhance the skills of mental health providers and other professional working with young children.
• Increase early childhood mental health education and resources for child care providers.

Remembering Nancy Latimer: 

As a longtime senior program officer at the McKnight Foundation, a leader of the Minnesota Early Childhood Funders Network, and a lifelong advocate for children, Nancy made many contributions to the healthy development of young children, the prevention of child abuse, and the creation of public and policy support to improve the lives of Minnesota's children and families. In addition to her work across the entire developmental continuum for children, Nancy was especially dedicated to enhancing early childhood care and education.

Nancy's leadership, passion, creativity, and commitment to children were recognized in 2005 with the national Council on Foundation's Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking. In her acceptance speech she said, "It's important to use both head and heart. Our society seems to be losing that kind of heart - the kind that cares for the common good, rather than frontier individualism. My final message to all of you is: Be persistent in reaffirming values for the common good." 

Following her untimely death, the Minnesota Early Childhood Funders Network held the first annual Nancy Latimer Convening for Children and Youth in 2007 to continue Nancy's commitment to building connections and communication to benefit children. The Network's annual "Nancy" Award honors Nancy's memory and legacy by recognizing the contributions of others to the lives of Minnesota's children and their families.

Thank you to the Minnesota Early Childhood Funders Network for selecting the Minnesota Initiative Foundations for this award and special thanks to the Greater St. Cloud Area Thrive for all of their amazing work and dedication!