June 28, 2011 marked the day for safer cribs for sale at local and national retail stores. Effective June 28, 2011, all importers, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers must offer only cribs that meet the CPSC's new and improved full-size and non-full-size crib standards.

thread's CEO, Stephanie Berglund will join a panel at UAA, Thursday, October 6th at 7:00pm for a community conversation about poverty in Alaska, how it affects our children and how it shapes our child care options.

thread was recently awarded a $133,000 grant from ServeAlaska to expand the Strengthening Families Initiative (SFI) with AmeriCorps members. This program will grow and sustain the SFI throughout the state. AmeriCorps members will be assigned to Strengthening Families programs to provide assistance with planning and implementing SF strategies.

thread supports Strengthening Families (SF), a national effort among early care and education programs, child welfare departments and communities providing families and early educators with tools and information to help children thrive.

thread's hosted it's 5th Annual Book Party in the Park, Friday, August 5th from 4:00pm-7:00pm in the Garden Art Park, in the Mountain View community in Anchorage.

Juneau resident and father Chris Murray joined NACCRRA's (National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies) campaign and thread in support of national legislation calling for background checks for all providers working with children. Currently, there is no national safeguard to ensure the more than 11 million children in child care are cared for by providers without a criminal record.

thread is hosting early educators from around the state at a dynamic two-day leadership symposium today and tomorrow, June 10th and 11th in Anchorage at the Hilton Hotel. The focus of the symposium is on building leadership skills and quality in early childhood programs. Keynote speaker Julie C. Parker, with the Department of Child and Family Studies at the the University of Southern Mississippi, will share how early educators can use the mission and vision of their programs to increase the quality of care.

"Young children's mental health is something people don't like to talk about," said Josh Arvidson, the Director of Alaska’s Child Trauma Center at ACHMS, during a co-presentation with Alicia Deaver, thread's Director of Consultation, during National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day.

"Alaska's early care and learning field is employing a growing number of people, with some of the lowest paying wages in the economy and providing child care services that allow over 32,000 Alaska residents to join the workforce," Stephanie Berglund, thread CEO said. Berglund is referring to data from thread's 2011 update to an Economic Impact of Early Care and Learning Services in Alaska report.

thread, as part of a coalition of early childhood experts and leading organizations from across the state, is urging elected officials to embrace new public policy priorities for 2011.