A child’s early years are crucial for building a strong foundation that supports a healthy and happy start in life. The Stanford Center on Early Childhood’s vision is to see each and every child thrive from the start – and that begins with the families, educators, and communities that surround them.
Our collaboration with the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, started with the RAPID Survey Project. Originally launched at the University of Oregon during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project addressed a critical gap: at the time, no data existed on how the crisis was affecting families with young children.
In April 2020, the Soapbox team was asked to create a visual identity for the project on a very strict timeline – the identity needed to be recognisable and impactful, but also flexible enough that the content outputs could grow over time. We developed a design system that incorporated personal, human-centered elements and a custom set of illustrations to bring the data to life.
For speed, the project began with a Medium page that included articles, interactive data visualisations, illustrations, and – more importantly – quotes from parents and caregivers who have been struggling to support their families and themselves.
In 2022, RAPID moved to Stanford. As the project evolved over the years, we expanded the colour palette, refined the typography, and grew the illustration library to support the creation of quick, consistent, and visually engaging fact sheets and blog posts.
To mark the project’s third and fourth anniversaries, we created two scrollytelling microsites to showcase its impact. Later, we designed and developed a full website to provide access to the latest findings, data trends, and the survey itself.
Today, the RAPID project has had a notable impact on policymaking in the U.S. Informed by RAPID data, millions of dollars in emergency relief funds were allocated to support Oregon’s early childhood workforce, ensuring their basic needs were met. RAPID’s data on hunger was cited at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health and in policy discussions on Capitol Hill. Additionally, its research on the financial burden faced by early childhood educators helped shape specific provisions in the federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program.
Since its inception, RAPID has heard from more than 30,000 parents and caregivers across the U.S., amplifying their voices to drive meaningful change. The project has also built a strong community, with over 6,000 readers subscribing to its monthly newsletter, and a strong social media presence.
Soapbox’s creativity, expertise, and efficiency have been instrumental in supporting our design thinking and dissemination strategies since the start. We amplify the experiences of families through narrative and visual storytelling, and Soapbox is a trusted partner in our work on behalf of young children and their communities.
Cristi Carman, Director of the RAPID Survey Project
