Families and early childhood professionals have been clear about what they want — and their data is enough to shape the future of child care. The WeVision EarlyEd Policy Essentials are rooted in that data along with WeVision's core mindset shifts. Find them here:

This past week marked a significant moment in our country's history, and the policies shaped by the outcomes of this election will undoubtedly have a profound impact on millions of children and families. The Bainum Family Foundation’s committment to improving the state of child care remains and will not waiver — we have been, and will continue to be, dedicated for the long haul. As we move forward, reimagining a child care system that centers children, their families and educators is more crucial than ever for the well-being of our communities. To make our ideal real, we will continue to work alongside our partners and proximity experts, paving the way toward a more equitable future. What does this look like? WeVision EarlyEd identified five key considerations that will help move us forward. Stay tuned!

Thank you to all of our speakers at the Love is Local Summit, including David Daniels, CEO of the Bainum Family Foundation. Lift Orlando is deeply grateful for Bainum’s generous investment in our early learning initiatives. Along with Education Director Lynn Thompson and early childhood specialist Anna Kinchens M.Ed, their help has supported our early learning collaborative of 18 locally-owned early learning centers. These critical early learning providers now benefit from a shared community, resources, and training provided by Lift Orlando. David opened the day with powerful words. “We want to fund you to succeed. We don’t just want to fund you,” he shared. Then, he laid out a powerful case for making long-term commitments to organizations – offering them the room to test innovative approaches and learn over time, even if that means some initiatives fail to bear fruit. We are forever grateful to have that level of deep, committed support from the Bainum Family Foundation. The Summit signaled a new chapter in the story of place-based philanthropy in Orlando and nationwide. Let’s keep working to upLift our neighbors together. #LoveIsLocalOrlando

We were honored to have our Director of ACE Academy, Toakase Vunileva, a proud Tongan-American, welcome and host the Tongan Royal Family during their recent visit to the United States, invited by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was a great privilege to discuss ACE Academy's innovative efforts to elevate the SDA educational system and explore how these efforts can be applied both overseas and within the Tongan nation. This collaboration is just one of the ways our Legacy programs are fostering meaningful connections and opportunities for positive impact. Read more about the Royal Family's visit here: https://lnkd.in/ekQADM2a

Last weekend, our Early Childhood team member, Kiel Smith, had the pleasure of joining the DC Men in ECE as they hosted their second annual, city-wide conference at Gallaudet University. Early childhood educators, advocates and professionals from across D.C., Maryland and Virginia gathered to engage in leadership workshops around retaining, recruiting and developing educators — particularly men, who comprise only 3% of the workforce, with men of color representing less than 1%. It's inspiring to see how much this initiative has grown over the last few years as they focus on the recruitment, retention and advancement of men on ECE.

At the Bainum Family Foundation, we know that impactful change starts with trusted partnerships at the local, state, and national levels. Recently, our Director of Early Childhood Strategy Implementation, Demetria Joyce, spoke at Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC)'s Annual Meeting, highlighting how our collaboration with local organizations, like FLAEYC, strengthens our shared mission to better support Florida's families, children, and educators. By embracing the expertise of community partners, we can drive policy changes that directly address the needs of children and families, ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning environments.

“There’s also been a shift from focusing solely on the [child care] problem to focusing on the solutions. The conversation’s shifting away from, 'Tell us more about how bad the child care system is.' Now it’s about 'What can we do?'” Marica Cox Mitchell, our VP of Early Childhood, shares ways we can achieve tangible child care solutions in her Q&A with Mark Swartz for Early Learning Nation. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eh6YJpkm

Marica Cox Mitchell, our VP of Early Childhood, had the pleasure of joining early childhood advocates, policymakers, and professional development specialists at The Council for Professional Recognition's #EELC2024.   It's encouraging to shift from simply outlining the (already well-documented) early childhood educator recruitment and retention crisis to elevating solutions and critical decisions needed to ensure that these educators can meet the needs of young children and their families. Investments in "child care" quality and access must incentivize early childhood educator preparation, competence, and well-being.  

Our CEO and President, David Daniels, clearly outlines the consequences of neglecting our child care system for the business community and identifies specific actions leaders can take to support early childhood solutions. Read his insights here: 

In celebration of World Food Day, we’re uplifting some of our Legacy partners who are leading the way in integrating quality nutrition into early childhood programs. Ensuring that all children, particularly the youngest among us, have access to nutritious food is crucial — especially in the child care centers and programs where they spend so much of their time. Every child deserves to have their basic nutritional needs met, no matter where they live, during these vital years of development. Discover more about the impactful work of these partners and our Family Philanthropy's Global Ed Fund initiative here: https://lnkd.in/g3Y2MD4b #WorldFoodDay Catholic Relief Services, iACT, OneSky, PATH