IECC’s Inland Empire Children’s Cabinet Receives Support from Riverside and San Bernardino First 5s

First 5 Riverside and First 5 San Bernardino commissions have voted to provide funding to the IE Children’s Cabinet as a first in the nation effort to collaboratively support children and families.

San Bernardino, CA – The Inland Empire Community Collaborative (IECC) is proud to announce that the First 5 Riverside and First 5 San Bernardino commissioners have voted to provide over $500,000 in funding to support a first in the nation effort to advance health and racial equity in the region through their support of the Inland Empire (IE) Children’s Cabinet.

The IE Children’s Cabinet is a first in the nation two-county effort rooted in designing equitable data driven policy that improves outcomes and quality of life for children in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. While the idea of a Children’s Cabinet is not new, this is the first-time a cabinet will be working across county lines to serve the rapidly growing population of nearly 1.2 million children in the IE.

“This two-county Children’s Cabinet is unprecedented for this region. We are most proud of building a strong coalition that is already making real lasting change for children and families” says, IECC CEO, Susan Gomez. “We hope to serve as a model for the nation moving forward on how to effectively collaborate.”

Born from the need to address systemic inequities effecting children and families highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the IE Children’s Cabinet has been working diligently to produce and advocate for policy solutions in the areas of basic needs, childcare, education, and health and wellness. With funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Inland Empire Community Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, and the California Wellness Foundation, IECC has been able to provide critical backbone support to the nearly 100 stakeholders from nearly 50 organizations that serve children and families.

Just a few months into the development of the two county IE Children’s Cabinet, Deborah Clark-Crews, the Executive Director of The Consortium for Early Learning Services, said “…in my 40 years working with children and living in the Inland Empire, I have never had so many agencies directly involved in childcare support our efforts!” Notably, it inspired her colleagues in San Bernardino County to also be advocates for children in the region.

“The work being done in this Children’s Cabinet is unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” says IECC Public Policy and Technology Manager, Brian Thomas Romo. “I love public policy work, but it is something that can quickly become contentious and self-defeating if it isn’t done right. Fortunately, there is a consensus among the stakeholders in the room that the work being done is much bigger than any one organization. We’re all working together to fulfil the same vision of a healthy and thriving Inland Empire.”

While the COVID-19 Pandemic appears to be nearing the end, the IE Children’s Cabinet remains steadfast in their commitment to improving the lives of children and families in the IE. The goal of the IE Children’s Cabinet is to ensure that children and families not only survive the moment but come out thriving. Momentum is building throughout the country as more communities are implementing children’s cabinets to coordinate more effectively supports and opportunities for young people. With so much opportunity on the horizon, the IE Children’s Cabinet stands ready to make change.

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