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Children's Village unveils 'Bringing the Better' campaign and expands literacy, ARPA projects
Summary
Children's Village leaders showed a new staff-centered brand, short videos featuring former residents and described program expansions including financial literacy fairs, reading tutoring growth (13 to 21 participants) and ARPA-funded resource and quality-improvement projects.
Barb Hanke, director of public services, presented a new media and branding campaign for Children's Village called "Bringing the Better," saying the campaign emphasizes staff and resident stories and the agency's role as "a helping hand" for youth. Hanke said the county worked with King Media to create a logo and short videos and will use the material on streaming and social platforms.
"This campaign is about us; it's about the work we do here every day and really about the care they put into every single moment," Hanke said. She noted staff involvement in the design process and that the logo includes a stylized hand and a heart to represent compassion.
Heather Calcatero, manager of Children's Village, described programmatic expansions tied to the campaign. She said the public'private partnership with Genesis Credit Union brings virtual financial literacy fairs to residents and that each participant may open a youth savings account with matching funds from the Children's Village Foundation. Calcatero said reading-tutoring partnerships begun in 2024 served 13 young people and now reach 21 in 2026.
"Our young people get an opportunity to take part in real-life budgeting experiences that will carry with them for the rest of their life," Calcatero said.
Hanke and Calcatero also outlined ARPA-funded and grant-driven projects: an online "Find Help: Build Futures" directory built with the Crime and Justice Institute, an organizational review with AECOM focused on communications and recruitment, and a proposed virtual-reality behavioral skills lab being considered through an Annie E. Casey Foundation application. Hanke said the VR lab would let youth and staff rehearse conflict-resolution and employment scenarios.
The board received and filed the presentation on a motion that passed without recorded objection. The presenters said a Children's Village Fun Fest is scheduled for Aug. 20 and that staff will continue working on grant submissions and pilot initiatives.
Ending: The presentation concluded with commissioners praising staff improvements and the board formally receiving and filing the update. Next steps include continued grant pursuit and program rollout updates to the board as funding and pilots proceed.
