Page 5 - Demo

“... we will continue to advocate for children and families...”
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Forty years ago, we began helping parents find child care in the San Fernando Valley. We had six staff who identified child care facilities, wrote the information on a 3x5 index card, and then provided that information to parents who called us. The program was funded by then Governor Jerry Brown who created a statewide system of resource and referral agencies. At the same time, he agreed to fund a small voucher program for low-income working families who couldn’t afford child care. Those same agencies were funded to administer the Alternative Payment voucher program in tandem with child care referrals.
Since then, we have expanded the services that we provide and the area where we provide those services. We now employ 800 staff in 27 different locations, covering a 22,500 square mile area in Northern Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties - an area composed of 4.7 million individuals. We are funded by more than 30 different revenue streams from a variety of sources including County, State, and Federal governments, First 5 LA, First 5 San Bernardino, community foundations, and individual donors.
Over the years, we have weathered many challenges, both positive and negative, and each time we have emerged stronger, more secure, and more resolute. In our communities, more than 20% of adults over age 25 have less than a high school diploma. One in five residents, overall, are living in poverty. We will continue to advocate for children and families to ensure that all have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. We will continue to find ways to grow our influence and to support our staff so that they can support our customers.
I am certain that we continue to thrive because what we do matters not just to us, but to all those we serve.
Dr. Michael Olenick, President and CEO
2015 | 2016
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