About
Know and Grow Oklahoma
Building Resilient Children, Families & Communities
Our Purpose
The purpose of Know and Grow Oklahoma is to ensure that infants and toddlers born during the pandemic era (between 2019 and May 2023) are developmentally on track by identifying and responding to their needs and those of their families.
Through no fault of their own, parents found themselves in situations where parenting took on a new and different meaning. Now is the time to surround and support these children, parents, caregivers and families.
To accomplish this, we must have strong, resilient communities that can support families. The Early Relational Health Corps will educate communities about the importance of positive early relationships between infants, toddlers and their parents and caregivers. The Early Relational Health concept is a strengths-based approach focused on building the individual, family, community and systems that promote safe, stable and nurturing relationships, buffer adversity and build resilience.
To support the community efforts of creating stronger and more resilient families, community-based supports to implement or build upon proven initiatives that strengthen children and families continue across the state and in rural Oklahoma communities.
Our Opportunity
We can work together to turn the tide. We intend to bring together Oklahomans across the state to create stronger communities that buffer the effects of the pandemic on children and families, while preparing communities to continue supporting Early Relational Health for all infants and toddlers born now and in the future. These efforts will help to create resilient communities for a stronger Oklahoma.
Early Relational Health is the key for infant and toddler development. During the first three years of life, the brains and bodies of newborns make huge gains in development. Positive experiences early in a child’s life promote healthy physical, emotional and cognitive development.
Having a laser focus on growing a quality future workforce will help to maintain the strong economy and vibrant communities that embody Oklahoma’s neighborly spirit of caring and compassion. This begins with nurturing Oklahoma’s infants, toddlers, their families and communities. Kids are essential. The start we give them is their foundation for a healthy, successful future.
Know and Grow Oklahoma is an opportunity for communities across the state – small, large and in-between – to act now to discover how the pandemic has impacted our children and families and learn how to support them.
Our Vision
Young children and families in Oklahoma live in vibrant communities where they are safe, secure, healthy and thriving.
The Potts Family Foundation
The Potts Family Foundation is passionate about improving the condition of Oklahoma’s future workforce: Oklahoma’s children. We are committed to accelerated investments in the following four key areas that can make a huge difference in the future of Oklahoma children, both short term and long term, 1) Family Support, 2) Early Learning, 3) Preventive Health Care and 4) High Quality Child Care. Learn more about the Potts Family Foundation.
Funded by the Oklahoma legislature’s federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, Know and Grow Oklahoma is a project of the Potts Family Foundation in collaboration with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Front row, left to right: AJ Griffin, Pat Potts and Linda Manaugh
Back row, left to right: Audra Haney, Sherry Fair, Haley Hegwood and Cassady Dixon