ACTION FOR CHILDREN

EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY - ACTION FOR CHILDREN PROVIDED 5,677 HOURS OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CHILD CARE PROGRAMS AND PROFESSIONALS. THIS INCLUDES 2,734 HOURS OF STEP UP TO QUALITY COACHING TO SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION. WE PROVIDED MORE THAN 1,500 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING OUR 135-HOUR CHILD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE COURSEWORK WHICH 88 PROFESSIONALS COMPLETED IN FY24. WE AWARDED $5,182,335 IN CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIPS ON BEHALF OF 668 CHILDREN.

PARENTS, GUARDIANS, AND FAMILIES - THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (FACE) DEPARTMENT HOSTED THREE CORNERSTONE EVENTS: SPRING FLING, BACK TO SCHOOL FAMILY FAIR, AND FALL FEST. THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT ALONE WELCOMED OVER 700 ATTENDEES AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 400 BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SUPPLIES. SPRING FLING AND FALL FEST PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN ACTIVITIES WHERE LEARNING WAS ABUNDANT AND FUN AT THE FOREFRONT. EACH EVENT CREATED A WELCOMING SPACE WHERE FAMILIES ACCESSED CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND BUILT MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAFF AND ONE ANOTHER. SEE SCHEDULE O.ACROSS ALL FACE PROGRAMS, THE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTED 2,634 FAMILIES IN LOCATING QUALITY CHILD CARE, CONNECTED OVER 14,000 (14,930) PARENTS TO HELP ME GROW SERVICES, AND PROVIDED 1,655 PARENTS WITH EVIDENCE-BASED EDUCATION AND WORKSHOPS. THROUGH HOME VISITS, REFERRALS, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND CASE MANAGEMENT, THE DEPARTMENT MET FAMILIES WHERE THEY WERE AND HELPED THEM TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD, IMPACTING MORE THAN 3,411 CHILDREN.