Initiatives from Mississippi State University

News from the Gulf Coast Early Childhood Relief Project
National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives
Mississippi State University

Rural Early Childhood Launches Clearinghouse for Katrina News

Rural Early Childhood has lent its support to relief work in the region hit by Hurricane Katrina by launching an online clearinghouse of information on early care and education and developing maps of licensed child care providers in the disaster area. See the clearinghouse, the Gulf Coast Early Childhood Relief Project, at: http://www.educ.msstate.edu/cni/eci/relief/index.htm.
The clearinghouse will provide updates on efforts to support young children and families temporarily living in shelters as well as early care and education programs that must rebuild.

New Mapping Tool Shows Hurricane Wind Speed Zones, Gulf Coast Child Care Facilities

Rural Early Childhood and the Rural Policy Research Institute today launched a preliminary version of the Rural Early Childhood Atlas, an online mapping tool, to facilitate planning and resource allocation in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina. To explore the atlas, click on the following link or copy and paste into
your browser: http://ims.circ.rupri.org/EarlyChildhood/step1.AOI/statelist.asp?AOITYPE=county

Drive for Books, Toys, Early Childhood Teacher Resources Underway in Mississippi

Embrace Mississippi¹s Children is collecting materials and monetary gifts for shelters and to help early care and education programs in Mississippi rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. WGBH Boston, Gryphon House, First Book and RIF are the first corporate donors. Find out how to give at: http://www.educ.msstate.edu/cni/eci/relief/embrace.htm

Sesame Street to Broadcast Special Hurricane Katrina Episodes Sept. 12-16

Sesame Workshop will air a special five-part series of the television program Sesame Street about a hurricane hitting the beloved Sesame Street neighborhood. See details at: http://www.sesameworkshop.org/hurricane-katrina/