April is Month of the Young Child, a necessary time to celebrate and reflect on the critical role that early care and education plays in shaping the futures of our youngest learners. While access to high-quality early care and education is still out of reach for many families due to a lack of affordable options and limited availability, initiatives like our Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative allow us to be hopeful.
Established in 2008, the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative (ECEFC) serves as a powerful approach to change. This group was established to shed light on systematic and institutional gaps by directly funding advocates and change agents. The ECEFC is dedicated to its mission to increase the quality and capacity of, and access to, early care and education throughout the Washington, D.C. region. Supported and directed by corporate funders and local and national foundations, this multi-year, multi-million-dollar collective funding effort is making a real difference in the lives of children and families.
DID YOU KNOW? Only 32% of children from low-income families in the Washington, D.C. region are enrolled in high-quality early care and education programs1.
By investing in high-quality early care and education, we are giving our children the best possible start in life and building more robust, more equitable communities.
When children have access to high-quality early care and education, they are more likely to succeed in school, have better health outcomes, and earn higher wages as adults. And when families have access to affordable, high-quality child care, parents can work and pursue their own goals, contributing to the economic vitality of our communities.
This Month of the Young Child, let’s celebrate the fantastic work of early care educators and organizations serving the early care and education community and commit ourselves to investing in our children.
Together, we can build a brighter future for all children and families in our region.
