A Letter from Our Leaders
Dear Supporters and Friends of Childcare Resources,
As we close the chapter on 2024, we are filled with immense joy and gratitude for the remarkable journey we have undertaken together. This year marked a significant milestone as we celebrated 40 years of unwavering commitment to the providers, children and families, and our community of central Alabama.
Reflecting on our accomplishments, at the forefront is the profound impact we have made on the lives of our community’s children. Our dedicated supporters have helped us raise over $80 million since our inception, enabling us to provide quality care and early education to thousands of young minds across two generations. This incredible achievement is a testament to the power of community and the shared belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.
The data in this year's report underscores the importance of our mission. We have seen firsthand how the well-being and development of our world are intricately linked to the growth and empowerment of its youngest members. Through our collective dedication to creating environments of compassion, education, and opportunity, we have sown the seeds for a future where every child can flourish and become a catalyst for positive change.
As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our commitment to nurturing the boundless potential within the hearts and minds of children. Our work is far from over, and we are excited to continue this journey with you for the next generation.
Thank you for your unwavering support and for believing in the transformative power of early childhood education. Your dedication and generosity have made all the difference, and we look forward to achieving even greater heights in the years to come.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Joan Wright
Executive Director
Liz Hyde
Board Chair
Here's how we do this important work.
Train and support child care professionals, providing a sizable portion of training available in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker Counties.
Provide child care financial assistance
to low-to-moderate income working
families who earn too much to qualify for state subsidy programs.
Support families who are searching for child care options by providing comprehensive child care information, and advocacy resources.
Promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services.
The goal of Training and Technical Assistance is to increase the quality of child care available to children by providing education through training and technical assistance to individuals working in child care or interested in a career in early care and education.
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230
Training Sessions
97 In-Person
70 Virtual
32 On-Demand
31 Canvas Catalog
178 of which were
FREE TO ATTEND!
520
Training Hours
For 40 years, Training and Technical Assistance have been the core of our work. During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, our agency had to quickly pivot from in-person training for the safety of our staff and attendees, and convert training to virtual and on-demand options.
In the last few years, our agency has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, while continuing to offer virtual and on-demand training sessions alongside in-person opportunities. These sessions offer a unique opportunity for child care providers to continue accessing trainings needed for professional development, and to maintain or achieve licensing requirements.
Training Options:
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In-Person: Held at Childcare Resources or another specified location on a specific date and time.
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Virtual: Either a Live Virtual Online training with an instructor on a specific date and time through Childcare Resources’ Online Portal, or virtual through Canvas Catalog, a self-guided, self-paced online training course.
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On-Demand: Self-guided, self-paced training lasting from 1-4 weeks through Childcare Resources’ Online Training Portal.
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Canvas Catalog: Self-guided, self-paced online training course through Childcare Resources' Canvas Catalog. Participants register and attend trainings at any time during the course availability dates. Courses are self-guided and available online for 30 days.
The goal of the Early Learning Resource Library and Van is to reduce the cost of delivering quality child care by providing access to teaching materials and resources free of charge. The Resource Center offers free membership and is open weekdays while the Resource Van travels 10 routes monthly.
88
Patron Visits to the Library
Patron Visits to the Van
199
Programs Participating in Van Routes
54
The goal of RISE is to positively impact the quality of child care in our community by assisting providers in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards, achieving measurable improvements, and supporting the pursuit of national accreditation and re-accreditation.
RISE = Reaching Improvement through Self-Evaluation
6
Participating Centers
Consultations
360
Training and Technical Assistance Visits
55
Child care programs desiring to improve quality in their centers rely on RISE to help achieve their goals. Childcare Resources’ National Accreditation Specialist works one-on-one, both virtually and on-site, with directors and teachers, guiding them to identify deficiencies and then enhance areas needing improvement.
Because the RISE program requires scheduled meetings, follow-up, and classroom enhancements, participation in the program is incredibly time-intensive, meaning only a select number of specific child care programs are able to participate each year.
Participating Programs from 2016 to 2024
“RISE has allowed me to make purchases for things that I normally would not have been able to make. Our teachers can see that we are being supported by RISE when I am able to provide them with the quality materials and supplies that they need to provide the best quality care. The trainings that I have attended have allowed me to pass on very helpful information to our teachers.”
RISE Program Participant
The goal of the Infant Toddler Program is to increase the quality of child care available to infants and toddlers. The program is designed to assist classrooms in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards and to encourage directors to operate their program consistent with best practices.
8
Participating Centers
66
Consultations
Training and Technical Assistance Visits
47
“Throughout our time in the Infant/Toddler Program I have gained knowledge of important qualities of high-quality childcare as the program director, such as: assessing teacher quality, monitoring age appropriate activities, and overall health and safety improvements.”
RaShunda Evans-Jones, Executive Director
Elizabeth Perry Rushton Child Development Center
Infant/Toddler Program Participant
The goal of the Supplemental Child Care Program is to help low-to-moderate-income working families with children birth to age five maintain employment and achieve self-sufficiency by assisting them with their child care costs at a legally operating provider of their choice.
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Single Parent
Head-of-Household Families Enrolled
88
Children Supported
96
Direct Payments to Child Care Providers
$98,303
$46,879
Average Annual Income of Enrolled Families
$1,024
Average Child Care Payment Per Child
Direct Child Care Payments from 2009 to 2024
Average Payment Per Family
Average Payment Per Child
Childcare Resources’ SCCP is the only program of its kind in central Alabama!
Top Employment
Sectors of Families
Enrolled in SCCP
While the demand for SCCP remains the same, the amount paid through our program per family and per child continues to grow as child care costs continue to rise. As you can see in the graphic on the right, the families we assist work in a wide variety of fields, further showing that no matter what you do, everyone can benefit!
“By paying a portion of the cost of child care for my son, I am able to budget that amount towards buying necessities like groceries or taking him to places like the Itty Bitty Magic City at McWane, or Chuck E. Cheese, and these are places he enjoys visiting.”
T. King, Supplemental Child Care Program Participant
Resource and Referral provides free customized child care searches for the community. Each search includes provider profiles to assist the family in locating quality child care as well as parent resources to support the unique needs of each individual family.
Parents Created Accounts
576
490
Total Parent-Performed Searches
Child Care Referrals Provided
304
Searches by Category
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The Head Start and Early Head Start Programs promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services. Childcare Resources' Head Start Program operates through a partnership model with local schools, child care programs, and the community.
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Funded Enrollment
594
151
Enrolled Early Head Start Children
Enrolled Head Start Children
279
Child Care Program Partners
9
4
Agency Operated Child Care Programs
Zip Codes Served in Jefferson County
35020 • 35022 • 35094 • 35203 • 35205 • 35206 • 35212 • 35217
49%
Head Start Families at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line
55%
Early Head Start Families at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Line
81%
Head Start Children received health, hearing, vision, and development screenings
79%
Early Head Start Children received health, hearing, vision, and development screenings
“I faced an extremely challenging circumstance when I found myself having to take care of my son all on my own. I enrolled my only son in the Head Start program and it was the best thing I did. I was able to actively participate as a parent and utilize the support services to not only ensure my son’s early education success, but also to gain stability and confidence in my own life. So much so that I was eventually able to land a job and become a strong advocate for other single fathers in the community.”
Head Start Program Participant
hover your mouse over each section of the pyramid for data
Revenue
Expenses
This summer, we proudly celebrated 40 years of unwavering dedication to the care and education of children. Since our founding in 1984, Childcare Resources has been a pillar in the community, providing essential information, education, and assistance to families, child care providers, and the broader community.
Our journey over the past four decades has been marked by countless stories of growth, resilience, and collaboration as we’ve strived to ensure that every child has access to quality care and that families and providers are supported every step of the way.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has been part of this journey. Your support has been the cornerstone of our success, and we truly would not be here without every one of you!
Here’s to 40 years of making a difference– and to the many more years ahead of us! ❤️
