Groundwork Ohio celebrated 20 years of advocacy for young children with a special luncheon event at the Ohio Statehouse.
The celebration brought together more than 200 people, including policymakers, business leaders, early childhood professionals, and advocates to honor the organization's contributions to shaping Ohio's early childhood policies and building a growing statewide movement on behalf of young children and families.
During the luncheon, Groundwork Ohio honored its co-founders, Marcia Egbert and Margaret Hulbert, with the inaugural Groundbreaker Awards in recognition of their vision and leadership.
Egbert serves as program director for Thriving Families and Social Justice at The George Gund Foundation. Prior to joining the foundation in 1998, she was vice president of the National Urban Policy Institute, a public interest policy analysis and lobbying organization in Columbus, Ohio. She also served as government relations director for the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and worked for the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.
Hulbert is principal at Hulbert & Associates. She served as senior vice president, Strategic Resources & Public Policy at United Way of Greater Cincinnati for nearly 20 years.
"We’re not just celebrating what we’ve accomplished over the past 20 years," said Lynanne Gutierrez, president & CEO of Groundwork Ohio. "We’re looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead, as we continue to drive change for Ohio’s children and families. The Groundbreaker Awards reflect the visionary leadership of Marcia and Margaret whose dedication to early childhood advocacy planted the seeds for everything Groundwork has achieved. Our leadership commitment to Ohio’s early childhood movement and the relentless work of advocates, professionals and families across the state will honor this legacy each and every day through action to hold policymakers accountable to the needs of Ohio’s youngest in this upcoming state budget and for the next 20 years.”
Shannon Jones, former president & CEO of Groundwork Ohio, facilitated a discussion with Egbert and Hulbert about their decades of advocacy experience and their guidance for influencing lasting change for Ohio’s youngest children.
As part of the celebration, the organization also launched the Shannon Jones Advocacy Impact Fund, to honor the legacy and contributions Jones made in growing the organization’s impact. The fund will support ongoing advocacy initiatives.
“It has been an incredible journey over the past eight years with Groundwork Ohio, and none of it would have been possible without the dedication of our team, our board, and our partners across the state," said Jones. “Together, we’ve worked to build something that I am immensely proud of—a strong and impactful organization committed to ensuring every child in Ohio has the opportunity to succeed. I am particularly moved by the creation of this fund. Advocacy has always been at the heart of our mission because I firmly believe that when we speak up, when we organize, and when we engage policymakers, we can drive real change for children and families.”
Founded in 2004, Groundwork Ohio has played a role in advocating for equitable access to quality early childhood education, health, and family support. Over the past two decades, the organization has worked with policymakers, at all levels, to advance investments in children from birth to age five, improving school readiness and long-term outcomes for Ohio’s youngest residents.
For more information about Groundwork Ohio and to learn how to support its mission, visit: groundworkohio.org.
