Author: Amy Miranti

  • Kids Can’t Wait Advocacy Day: February 13th, 2024

    Join Liftoff WNY in Albany for the Kids Can’t Wait Advocacy Day trip on February 13th. This is a great opportunity to speak directly to legislators and demand funding in the 2024 New York State budget. We will provide training and materials on the bus as we travel to Albany so you can confidently advocate for Early Intervention with legislators. 

    Our bus leaves Buffalo at 5:30 AM and return at about 7 PM on the same day. The trip is free, and breakfast and lunch are provided! There will be an additional stop in LeRoy, NY on the way to Albany.

    Interested in joining us?

  • Liftoff’s Network News October 2023

    Please find Liftoff WNY’s Network News for October 2023. This month we discussed our Early Childhood Partnership event, ComNet 23 & the New York Funders Alliance Conference as well as our exciting new section, “Profiles in Good”.

  • Liftoff’s Network News August 2023

    Please find Liftoff’s WNY Network News for August 2023. This month we discussed Liftoff’s July & August Summer Learning Series sessions. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for this series! Be sure to follow Liftoff on social media for future learning opportunities.

    July Summer Learning Series Recording

    August Summer Learning Series Recording
  • Improving early outcomes for WNY’s youngest children: A Community Conversation and Call to Action

    Partners from Buffalo State University, The Children’s Guild Foundation, and Liftoff WNY proudly present a morning of learning, connection, and action. The event, ‘Improving early outcomes for WNY’s youngest children’ brings together professionals working with children with special needs eager to learn more about our region’s most pressing challenges for young children with disabilities to contribute to community-driven solutions that build a more responsive, equitable, integrated, and inclusive early childhood system. Registration for this in-person event is required.

    When & Where:

    Wednesday, September 27, 2023, from 8:30 – 10:30am

    Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, 641 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202.

    Intended Audience: Professionals working with or on behalf of young children with special needs.

    While spaces are limited, we encourage you to share this information with colleagues and community partners who may be interested in attending.

  • Liftoff Summer Learning Series Session 3 Recording

    “State of Early Literacy in NY” facilitated by Rachel Bonsignore of Liftoff WNY featured a presentation from Jeff Smink from Ed-Trust NY.

  • Liftoff Summer Learning Series Session 2 Recording

    “A Closer Look: An Exploration of Help Me Grow WNY’s Data Dashboard” facilitated by Rachel Bonsignore of Liftoff WNY featuring a presentation from Emily Oaks, of CCNY, Inc.

  • Summer Learning Series Session #3

    Please join Liftoff WNY on August 15th at 12:00pm for our third and final session of our 2023 Summer Learning Series, “State of Early Literacy in NY”. Reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade is the most important indicator of future student success. While there has been increased attention on ensuring schools improve instruction through alignment with the science of reading, there is much that can be done in the early years to improve reading skills. The Education Trust-New York, a statewide policy and advocacy organization dedicated to educational equity, recently released a report on the state of early literacy across New York. Jeff Smink, Deputy Director at Ed Trust-NY, will share key findings from the report and lead a discussion on the role that early childhood providers and advocates can play in the fight for better reading outcomes. If you have any questions, please email Amy at Amy@liftoffwny.org