Great Start Collaborative of Muskegon County

Great Start of Muskegon is a collaboration of parents, educators, health professionals, business and community leaders who want our children to prosper by being safe, healthy, and eager to succeed in school and in life.

Our Vision and Mission

We will provide a Great Start for every child in Muskegon County by assuring a coordinated system of community resources and supports to assist families in creating a safe, healthy and enriched environment for our children from birth through age five.

Our Values

• Working with Passion and Dedication on behalf of our children.
• Being Family-Centered and Empowering families and children.
•  Respect for All.
• Honoring Diversity and working to ensure Equal Opportunity for all.
• Working toward the Common Good of all children and the whole community.
• Operating with Wisdom and Creativity which results in Excellence.
• Creating Sustainability for our work.

The Process

The Great Start Collaborative  completed an exhaustive assessment and evaluation of the Muskegon County assets and resources dedicated to children from birth to age five and created a strategic plan.  The product of this effort is Creating Young Stars a plan to promote an understanding of the importance of community-based strategies that will develop essential cognitive and social skills necessary for our children to prosper by being safe, healthy, and eager to succeed in school and in life.

The Great Start Collaborative is now engaged in bringing this plan to life.  We have set fourteen goals we will achieve by 2012 by promoting existing assets and resources, coordinating our efforts and creating resources where none exist.