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Our Start |
Our Founder |
Our Board |
Our Supporters
How We Got Started
What was clearly missing was an organization - of, by and for parents - that reflected their
diversity and united them in working for change. Through her research, Rhonda also found out
about some groups that had tried to start a national parents' organization but had not been
successful. Based on what she learned, it was her strong belief that a parents' "movement"
would have to be built from the ground up.
So, she decided to start ParentsWork from her home in Evanston, Illinois and begin by reaching
out to parents she knew in the Chicagoland area. Several of these moms and dads volunteered
to serve on an advisory group, which met for the first time in January 2003 to put together a
plan for building the organization.
Many of them are still involved today as founding members of the board of directors and are
contributing their time and skills to developing the resources and infrastructure needed to
achieve our vision of becoming a powerful, statewide membership organization.
They have also identified three issues for our advocacy agenda which will be to make sure that
all parents have: the ability to take a family or medical leave when they need it; time to be
involved in their children's schools and education; and, affordable health insurance coverage
for themselves and their families.
Getting our story and issues in the news and sharing information about our efforts through
existing parent networks are just some of the ways we have begun to spread the word about
ParentsWork. You can help by telling a friend (or two) about us and encouraging them to
become a member. Together, we can make a difference.
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