Coalition for Health Equity and Early Development
Coalition for Health Equity and Early Development

Start with The Basics

Giving your child a great start in life is simple — just start with The Basics.
Start with The Basics
These resources would not be possible without our sponsors:
Bank5
Bristol County Savings Bank
Bridgewater State University
Learn THE Principles
Five science-based parenting and caregiving tenants that support social, emotional, and cognitive development of children from birth to age three.
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Fall River, New Bedfore, Wareham
About The Basics Southcoast & Rhode island
Serving nearly 20,000 families across the Southcoast of  Massachusetts and Rhode Island, because a strong start changes everything.
Our Partners
WIC Fall River
Southcoast Health
WIC New Bedford
The Basics, Inc. grew out of the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University in partnership with the Black Philanthropy Fund in Boston. Our mission is to bolster brain development for social, emotional, and cognitive skill building among children from birth to age 3 as a sturdy foundation for school readiness across whole communities. We operate under the auspices of Third Sector New England. The Basics Southcoast & Rhode Island server the Southcoast & Rhode Island area.
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Ron Ferguson
Ron Ferguson, PhD
Founder
HEED is a collaborative network comprising diverse stakeholders committed to providing every child with the best start in life, ensuring they enter kindergarten prepared to achieve their maximum potential.
©2026 Coalition for Health Equity and Early Development
The Basics Southcoast/RI is an affiliate of The Basics Learning Network

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