May 20, 2013
Whole Child Leon and the Foundation Leon County Schools Release
Leon County, FL - With plans to launch a new parent advocacy group and a renewed focus on school readiness, Whole Child Leon (WCL) is partnering with the Foundation Leon County Schools (FLCS).
“It is a natural fit,” said FLCS Executive Director Sheila Costigan. “Whole Child’s significant achievements in their dedication to early childhood development, including areas where we already collaborate, will enhance our mutual goal of ensuring that all children arrive at school ready to learn.”
Angel Trejo, chair of the Whole Child Steering Committee, which is made up of a group of dedicated community and civic leaders, reinforced this goal. He announced that Courtney Atkins will serve as interim WCL executive director. She had been executive director from September 1, 2009 until September 12, 2012.
Atkins said Whole Child will continue to work with its other community partners to create the conditions in Leon County that enable all children to thrive including early childhood screenings, the web-based resource connection for parents and families, the maternal and infant partnership, and the development of an integrated child mental health system of care.
She emphasized that working with the COPE Coalition, the City of Tallahassee and Leon County on the initiative, 95210: The Whole Picture of Health will be another top focus.
95210 addresses the childhood obesity epidemic prevalent throughout the country. With more than 30 percent of Leon County’s children being overweight, it has been adopted as a priority project by the city of Tallahassee and Leon County Schools
Whole Child Leon, began as a strategic initiative of the United Way of the Big Bend in 2004 under the leadership of former Rep. Loranne Ausley and The Lawton Chiles Foundation. Its mission is “to create a community where everyone works together to make sure all children thrive," with its primary focus on children 0-5.
For more information, see www.wholechildleon.com or call 414-8344.
