Eamon Whiteaker-Smith

The BUILD Initiative

BUILD is a national initiative that supports state leaders across the early childhood spectrum—adults dedicated to family support and engagement, early learning, health, mental health, nutrition, and more. BUILD brings these leaders together to promote opportunities for all children from birth through age five to start school healthy and prepared for success. BUILD partners with state-based organizations, early childhood innovators, business leaders, government offices and others to build early childhood systems by connecting programs and services for young children that may have functioned in isolation, at cross-purposes, or without the sufficient resources to meet critical needs. Why It Matters With increasing evidence from brain science, we know that the first five years of life set the foundation for all future growth and development, yet our society currently invests the least in this age group. Investments in early childhood improve health, school readiness, and ultimately, the ability to be part of an educated workforce, which is critical for our future prosperity. Creating effective early childhood systems in states and communities is the only way to ensure the healthy growth and development of each and every child. Racial disparities, inequities, and more generalized underinvestment begin in these earliest years of life and have profound impacts. We are committed to helping states and communities develop services, supports, and public policies that can ensure the healthy growth and development of each and every child. A State-Based Approach BUILD's partner states have built critical infrastructure and made advances in early learning, family support and engagement, early intervention for children with special needs and in health, mental health and nutritional services. We partner with public and private sector systems leaders as they establish state policy, provide services, and build their advocacy efforts for children from birth to age five.