The ways that Dr. Lynette M. Fraga will leave her mark on Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) are innumerable. As we think about Lynette’s departure as CEO on January 11, 2023, many of us are reflecting on the moments, experiences and inspirational words she has shared that will stick with us. A personal favorite among her familiar quotes is, “What’s the art of the possible?”  

As Lynette shared at CCAoA’s 2022 Leadership Institute, she first came across this phrase from the iconic book, From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early ChildhoodDevelopment, which referenced early childhood intervention as “…an individualized strategy designed to increase the probability of a desired outcome, and not as a developmental panacea for all children under all circumstances. It is the ‘art of the possible’, based on the science of early childhood development.” 

This year, Amazon Prime Day is July 12-13. Before you take advantage of the sales, be sure to set Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA) as your preferred charity in AmazonSmile.

What is AmazonSmile?

Amazon makes a donation to nonprofits like Child Care Aware^® of America every time shoppers purchase from AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is the same as Amazon.com—same products, same prices, same service. AND you get to help our cause at no cost to you! When shoppers use the AmazonSmile link to shop from, Amazon then donates 0.5% of eligible products' prices to the organization of your choice.

In 2017, Early Learning Indiana (ELI), with the support of the Lilly Endowment, launched the Family Engagement Prize Competition. Recently completing their second year, this statewide prize competition highlights family engagement innovation and excellence in early care and education (ECE) programs. The Prize Competition celebrates the exemplary actions of ECE professionals to empower families’ in their role as their children’s first teachers! Over the past two years programs have been recognized for practices like, offering parenting classes, job placement, housing, and food and fuel assistance, as well as parent-child engagement materials to use at home.

Child Care Aware^® of America is rolling out a new informative series that illuminates exemplary family and community engagement practices. The Family and Community Engagement: Promising Practices Spotlight Series highlights and celebrates innovative, high-quality family and community engagement programs occurring in a range of early childhood settings. We hope this series will not only introduce you to successful initiatives making an impact in communities across the nation, but that it will inspire you as child care resources and referral staff (CCR&Rs), child care providers and other early childhood leaders as you advance your work with families and communities.

Kicking off the Spotlight Series:  The first spotlight in our series shines on, Apoyando Familias, Aprendiendo Juntos (Supporting Families, Learning Together), a radio show that connects weekly with Spanish-speaking families and caregivers. The program is a product of Wisconsin’s statewide network CCR&R, Supporting Families Together Association. This program demonstrates how organizations can leverage media outreach to create meaningful dialogue with and meet the needs of diverse families with young children and their communities.