At Children’s Council, we believe in a San Francisco where every child is able to reach their full potential and thrive.
60% of San Francisco’s children age 0-5 live in families that STRUGGLE to afford child care, housing and other basic needs.
What’s the issue?
Child care is a basic human need. San Francisco is an amazing city known for its culture, diversity and innovation, yet many of our city’s children continue to face systemic barriers that impact early learning outcomes and long-term educational success.
Families from diverse backgrounds—including varying races, cultures, languages and abilities—do not always have equitable access to the resources, supports and high-quality early learning environments necessary for their children to thrive. Without intentional investment in inclusive practices, culturally responsive programming and equitable access to quality early care and education, gaps in kindergarten readiness will continue to widen. All families need a nurturing, enriching and quality child care environment so they can thrive.
Why does child care matter?
In the first year of life, a baby’s brain doubles in size. By age three, their brain is 80% of the size it will be when they are an adult. By age five, 90% of a child’s brain is fully developed. Quality child care and preschool give young brains the attention and stimulation they need to blossom.
The reality is…
Many San Francisco families can’t afford child care on top of high housing and basic living costs, with care often exceeding $20,000 per child each year. Children’s Council works at both individual and systems levels to change this, touching the lives of more than 25,000 families annually. We connect families to child care that fits their needs and help them understand their options, evaluate quality and secure the right care across all income levels.
An investment in Children’s Council is an investment in San
Francisco
families and children:
• So that every family in San Francisco will be able to find and pay for quality child care. This levels the playing field and gives all children the chance to succeed in school and in life, bridging the achievement gap before it even starts.
• So more child care providers will be able to start, grow and improve the quality of the early childhood education they provide. This allows them to secure their own financial wellbeing, and to serve as community anchors in the neighborhoods where they live and work.
San Francisco Families: Making Ends Meet?
Source: The 2022 Self-Su ciency Standard for San Francisco County, Center for Women's Welfare, University of Washington.
*Figures from California Family Needs Calculator
Source: The 2024 Self-Sufficiency Standard for San Francisco County, Center for Women’s Welfare, University of Washington.
What are we doing about
it?
At Children’s Council, we’re supporting families and child care providers, and partnering with policymakers so that all children in San Francisco get equitable access to quality child care and early education.
That means: Supporting families
• Families are able to find and pay for child care and preschool that meets their needs.
• Parents can work and contribute to our city’s economy, or they can go to school in order to get a better job.
• Families are more resilient, connected and supported. Supporting child care providers
• People who love engaging with children can launch nurturing child care businesses.
• There are more high-quality infant and toddler child care programs in San Francisco.
• Through 1-on-1 guidance, trainings and ongoing support, the quality of child care improves for all San Francisco children. Supporting our community
• Local and state leaders understand the critical importance of child care, and support family-friendly policies that ensure child care is higher in quality, as well as more affordable and accessible.
thesupplyofhigh-qualitycaretomeetdemand
Connecting Families and Caregivers
When our kids are well cared for, our families thrive. When our families thrive, our city is stronger.
Give Your Employees Peace of Mind: partner with us
Parents are an important part of our workforce. Now more than ever, they need affordable, accessible child care to return to work after having a baby and to maintain their jobs. Flexible and predictable workplace arrangements can increase productivity, satisfaction and loyalty, and reduce absenteeism and turnover. At Children’s Council, we partner with employers in the Bay Area to provide specialized education and referral services to their employees. Together, we can make San Francisco family-friendly for all employees.
Why do employers partner with Children’s Council?
• Augment family benefits for new or expectant parents in their workforce
• Assist their workforce in getting affordable, high-quality child care
• Make jobs more accessible to parents in fields where schedules change week to week or are hard to predict
• Make all employees feel good by establishing a partnership with a nonprofit supporting children
What services does Children’s Council offer for employees?
Inquire today about hosting a workshop or employee volunteer opportunities! Please contact Jessie Wong at jwong@childrenscouncil.org
VIRTUAL AND ON-SITE WORKSHOPS
We can host regularly scheduled or onetime virtual or in-person workshops at your workplace tailored to the needs of your employees. Topics may include:
• Choosing Infant Care – how to start your search, licensing regulations and evaluating quality indicators
• Choosing a Preschool – learn about types of preschools, educational philosophies and navigating the application process
ENHANCED CHILD CARE REFERRALS
Everyone can use support finding child care, especially if you work unusual hours, or need a new child care arrangement due to a work or home schedule change. We can give your employees:
• Personalized 1-on-1 assistance to find an affordable and high-quality child care arrangement that works with your employee’s budget and their schedule
VOLUNTEERING
Today’s employees are looking for meaningful ways to give back. We offer a variety of virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities, including helping with:
• Annual City Kids Family Fair (Fall)
• Organizing and advocating for family friendly public policies through Parent Voices
Executive-Level Volunteerism
Become an Executive-Level Volunteer
Volunteers at this level include our Associate Board and Governing Board of Directors. These child care champions come from all walks of life, leveraging their time, skills and passion for our city’s children to advance affordable, quality child care. We offer advisory committees to match many different areas of expertise: finance, technology, events, marketing/public relations, development. Interested? Email volunteer@childrenscouncil.org
at
BizNest: supporting child care businesses and early educators
BizNest at Children’s Council helps people in San Francisco and beyond launch and nurture thriving home-based child care programs while improving their skills as educators and business owners.
It’s a win for both children and small business
• Child care businesses are started and sustained
• Marginalized entrepreneurs are celebrated and succeed
• Access to high-quality child care grows in low-income neighborhoods
Children’s Council walked me through the whole licensing process, they helped me get my site ready for inspection, and made opening my child care business seamless. Their workshops about marketing, business and branding... so many things I never would have thought about, all of it has been great. And when I interact with the staff at Children’s Council, they’re always so patient and kind.”
— Krystle Danridge-Pierson, Director, Each One Teach One Child Care
We support early educators to start or grow a child care business
• Educational workshops: From launching a child care business to compliance, funding, family engagement and more
• Licensing assistance: CPR trainings, reporting, home visit inspections and other requirements
• 1-on-1 coaching and mentorship: Linguistically and culturally competent guidance and support
• Financial assistance administration: Support families who need child care or preschool subsidies
• Access to grants, loans or resources through our Lending Library, workforce compensation and supplements
• Healthy Apple & Child Care Food Program: Incorporate nutritious foods and physical activity into child care programs
• Supporting children with special needs: Acquire the resources needed to properly care for children with learning or physical barriers
• Professional network: Learn from best practices, grow a support network and get guidance from experts
• Child Care Finder: Marketing to local families looking for care
• Tech support: Training in common computing skills needed to run a successful child care business
Supporting child care entrepreneurs from start to finish!
Over the years, Children’s Council has built a reputable, professional network of family child care business owners and educators caring for our city’s most vulnerable children.
Attract families and boost business
Marketing support, increased referrals and access to premium rates
Get expert advice
1-on-1 coaching to learn about child development, navigating systems and getting business advice
Network and learn from peers
Network of hundreds of providers, workshops and educational opportunities
Access resources
Start up and improvement grants, along with quality materials and books for program participants
899,418
Free, healthy meals and snacks for children
Family Child Care Business Incubator
1,793
100+
BizNest: supporting child care businesses and early educators
Parents trained on nutrition and cooking
Dollars Needed to Feed Kids
Money Secured: $1,343,883.95
The Family Child Care (FCC) Business Incubator, one of our signature BizNest programs, launched in 2019 and has successfully supported established and aspiring FCCs in opening and growing their business.
Children receiving nourishment
237 Child care providers trained on nutrition
Money Still Needed: $450,000
Count Play Explore (STEAM) Count Play Explore empowers early educators to confidently use STEAM as a tool for belonging, curiosity, and meaningful learning. Through a two-year cohort model launched in August, 24 participants receive training, coaching, stipends, and materials to strengthen inclusive, play-based learning environments.
Trauma-Informed Care Our Trauma-Informed Care trainings and coaching support early educators in understanding the impacts of trauma on children and caregivers, while centering reflection, resilience, and well-being. Grounded in healingcentered and culturally responsive practices, the initiative helps providers create emotionally safe environments where their own care and capacity strengthen the care they offer to children and families. We now offer support in three languages, English, Spanish and Chinese.
Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Professional Development The FFN Support Program provides culturally responsive professional development that honors caregivers’ vital role in families’ lives. Caregivers strengthen foundational caregiving skills, build confidence, and connect to resources through access to professional development, coaching, and peer learning.
65+
New child care businesses successfully trained and launched in San Francisco
520
New child care slots created in calendar year 2024
Through the professional support and guidance from Children’s Council I’ve gotten to know so many of my peers; we support and help each other. We have had so many trainings and conferences; they help with anything you need to improve your quality as a child care provider… They have been so important in my life.”
— Aricela Aranivar, family child care provider for 20+ years
970+
Full Bellies. Strong Bodies.
The reality: of children in San Francisco are going to bed hungry
Our health and nutrition programs feed babies + toddlers
30%
Child care plays a critical role in overcoming food insecurity. While busy parents are working, little ones spend up to 50 hours a week being cared for by a nurturing child care provider. When you work two jobs and there still isn’t enough food in the refrigerator, it’s a relief knowing your child will be in a loving environment where they get the stimulation, socialization and critical nourishment they need.
Our programs are dedicated to reducing food insecurity and hunger among low-income families and families of color in San Francisco.
Filling little bellies and starting good habits that fuel a lifetime (annual numbers):
Filling little bellies and starting good habits that fuel a lifetime (annual numbers):
949,463 Free, healthy meals for children
224+
Child care providers trained on nutrition
1,771
Children receiving nourishment
*annually
84% of Healthy Apple participants reported that participating has improved the nutrition and physical activity environment of their child care
“I can go to work full time without worrying about my kids. With Children Council’s help, I know my kids are at a safe place. They receive nutritious meals at their pre-school. That’s a big plus and a big help for our family.” — San Francisco parent
JACKIE
Profile of a Successful New Child Care Business Owner
For nearly a decade, Jackie Shaw, 44, a single mother of three, worked three jobs to make ends meet.
Everything changed in March 2020, when her eldest daughter gave birth to twins in the same month that all of their kids’ schools switched to distance learning. She and her daughter began taking turns watching each other’s kids so they could continue to work.
Faced with a choice between her multiple jobs and her family’s well-being, Jackie decided to become part of the solution. With help from Children’s Council, she began working towards her child care license in September 2020, and earned it in June 2022. Now she runs a full-time, unsubsidized daycare center from her home.
Jackie’s goal is to offer care beyond the standard nine to five schedule, a significant challenge for her when she was a working mom.
Focus on Black Community Impact
children who experience one B/AA teacher young child are 13% more likely
ECE Workforce Pathway Programs
ONE BLACK CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE
BLACK TEACHER AS A YOUNG CHILD ARE
13% MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, & 19% MORE LIKELY TO ENROLL IN COLLEGE
Theory of Change
to graduate from high school, and 19% more likely to enroll in college7.
Since 2021, Children’s Council has been leading pathways into the early care and education (ECE) field that center and uplift Black and BIPOC communities in San Francisco. In 2024–2025, Children’s Council supported 35+ emerging Black and BIPOC early educators through our Black Early Educator Career Development Pipeline and our Summer High School Internship Project. Participants advanced along their educational and career journeys while receiving holistic support that strengthened their economic stability, professional identity, and long-term connection to the ECE field.
Community Engagement
Our Black and BIPOC ECE Achievement team raised the visibility of our culturally responsive programming by facilitating conversations at five state and national conferences. We engaged educators, advocates, and policymakers, shared lessons from our community-driven initiatives and amplified the voices and experiences of San Francisco’s Black & BIPOC early educators.
• NAFCC 2024 Conference
• Zero to Three 2024 Conference
• CAPPA 2024 Virtual Conference
• SXSW Edu 2025 Conference
• Child Care Aware 2025 Conference
Policy and Leadership
• Launched the ECE Equity Leadership Academy, an executive-level training series aimed at increasing knowledge, skills and understanding of leadership
Focus on Black Community Impact
grounded in racial equity, social justice and values identification. We are serving 25+ ECE leaders equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to build an equitable ECE system for all children.
• Facilitation of our citywide Black Early Educator Policy Council. 25+ Black early educators who are moving the needle on the persistent kindergarten readiness gap of San Francisco’s Black children. The group is in its Phase 2 stage of implementing key recommendations from its historic white paper. Policy Council members have participated in ECE systems change efforts at the local, state and federal level, serving as a voice at City hearings, conferences and community forums.
• Developed Black Child Development Institute, San Francisco (BCDISan Francisco), a new independent, grassroots organization to mobilize communities to support the health, safety and wellbeing of Black children. Children’s Council of San Francisco serves as a fiscal agent for BCDI-San Francisco, a local village affiliated with the National Black Child Development Institute.
MARGARITA
Profile of a Growing Child Care Business Owner
Margarita always dreamed of owning her own business. After immigrating to the US from El Salvador, caring for her young children came first, so she put her dream on hold. When her youngest started school, she got a part-time job. She was an assistant to the owner of a thriving high-quality child care program in the Bayview that served families with subsidies. When the owner decided to move, Margarita got her chance to live out her dream.
She bought the business, got her own state license and took over the space. It was a struggle initially to figure out all the proper requirements with the city. But even during the pandemic, Margarita was able to stabilize her business, remaining open throughout 2020. She even moved to a new location where her business is now thriving.
Margarita received support from Children’s Council in the form of one-on-one consultation/coaching and professional development opportunities. In 2019, Children’s Council also connected her with a Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund grant presented by MEDA. Margarita is now qualified to serve children receiving the city ELS voucher. She actively participates in small group cohorts for child care educators and is taking child development classes at City College of San Francisco.
Family Services: supporting the whole family and the whole child
When you are the parent of a small child, there’s so much joy in experiencing San Francisco’s diversity and culture through their eyes. But on a day-to-day level, being a parent can be tiring and lonely. The right kind of social and child care support can make the difference between struggling to manage it all and thriving. At Children’s Council, we are with families every step of the way. Our programs meet families where they are, and provide comprehensive, flexible and individualized support that affirms and builds on families’ strengths.
Confidence | Support | Community
Why do families turn to Children’s Council?
I want to find the right child care.
• 1-on-1 child care counseling and referrals
• Placement services for children with special needs
• Group workshops on how to find infant care or preschool
I need help affording child care.
• Assistance finding affordable child care
• Subsidies for low-income families
• Connection to support for other critical needs (housing, employment, food, etc.)
I want to learn more and connect with other parents.
• Toy and Book Lending Library
• Weekly workshops and networking opportunities
• Annual City Kids Family Fair
• Playgroups supporting child development and peer support groups that build parental resilience
I’m passionate and want to give back.
• Volunteer
• Get involved with Parent Voices and make quality child care affordable and accessible
• Participate in public policy and media awareness opportunities
When I became a single parent, I realized that finding child care for my daughter would be really hard. I started coming to Children’s Council in order to participate with Parent Voices, which has been a wonderful thing for myself and for my daughter. It’s allowed her to make other friends, and I’ve connected with other parents so I don’t feel alone.” — Cyra Koupal, Zenaida’s mom
Spotlight on the Play Lab
Our Play Lab offers experiential learning and community building for parents, caregivers and children.
Children’s Council Play Lab opened in Fall 2021 and serves as an adaptable, multipurpose classroom and interactive space for children, families and caregivers and is an environment where play is central to early childhood development. Designed for children, the PlayLab provides a space where children can grow through inclusive, individualized and engaging experiences through the developmental playgroups, and have access to resources and play materials. Grounded in the Five Protective Factors, Children’s Council’s family services meet families where they are to provide comprehensive, flexible and individualized support and connection in a way that affirms and builds on families’ strengths. The evolving set of offerings include weekly developmental playgroups facilitated by early childhood developmental experts.
At the Play Lab:
• You are part of a bigger community of parents, caregivers and children.
• Parents can have an immersive experience of what to look for in quality child care programs.
• Families find a respite from life’s stressors, and parents can support each other.
Why supporting the whole family is so important
Grounded in the universal evidence-based framework of the Five Protective Factors, Children’s Council’s family services meet families where they are to provide comprehensive, flexible and individualized support and connection in a way that affirms and builds on families’ strengths.
Janelle
Profile of a Family
When Janelle first came to Children’s Council, she needed immediate child care for her two toddlers. One of her sons was autistic and the other son had shown some developmental delays. She had recently graduated from an intensive job training program in the construction trades, and was in need of child care that could meet the needs of her children.
Shortly after graduating from her trade program, she began her career in the construction industry. The hours, however were grueling - her day would begin as early as 5am, and she was asked to work some evenings and weekends. Finding a child care educator close to her home in the Bayview, who was able to support her family’s needs, was challenging.
At Children’s Council, we have a team of Family Support Navigators who work closely with families in both finding a child care educator that meets their needs and connecting them to valuable community-based organizations, in order to provide whole family support.
With the support of a Family Support Navigator, Janelle was able to secure care with a child care educator who was willing to support the non-traditional child care hours and connect her to supportive community resources that meet the specific needs of her family.
Spotlight on Children with Disabilities
Many young children with special needs are turned away by child care programs whose teachers do not feel equipped to support their needs.
At Children’s Council, we are:
• Expanding the options for children with disabilities or special health care needs by promoting the benefits of belonging and inclusion in the early educator community, and offering specialized trainings
• Providing families with high-touch referrals and assistance,
In FY 2024-25, we focused on supporting child care programs and training and establishing new providers to keep San Francisco working!
Here are some of our accomplishments, thanks to our generous supporters and hardworking team:
6,938
children connected to $97.6 million in financial assistance for child care
838
holistic family needs assessments conducted by our specialists
million distributed to hundreds of child care programs countywide to enhance wages for 4,000+ early educators
98 Parent-Caregiver Education workshops/ events provided for skill building to better support their families
700+
255
resource bags with fresh produce and packs of diapers given to families
Program Spotlight
65
Advocacy Highlights
• Worked in coalition to organize over 100 parents, child care educators, providers and advocates to turn out at City Hall to urge City officials to protect Baby Prop C funding during a large budget shortfall, saving millions in child care funding slated to be redirected to other services.
• Trained and organized parents who qualified for child care subsidies to tell their stories to local, state and national policy makers through our Parent Voices San Francisco chapter.
• Worked in partnership with the greater early care and education community to help lead organizing the San Francisco ECE Advocacy & Policy Retreat, an annual retreat to build the ECE community’s advocacy capacity and foster belonging to advance policies that help every child reach their full potential.
Family Child Care Centers opened by Incubator participants, resulting in 520 child care slots created in calendar year 2024
$42,000
949,463 in funds distributed to help child care businesses launch and grow in 2024
healthy meals and snacks provided for children, an increase of nearly 50,045 year-over-year
111 Black ECE Pipeline program participants enrolled/trained
252
community based organizations we partner with annually
When Passion Meets Parnership
How Children’s Council helped Irma Schwarz Build her Family Child Care Dream
When Irma Schwarz arrived in San Francisco from Antigua, Guatemala, she carried with her a deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit, a love for art and a passion for family. Her journey from newcomer to thriving Family Child Care (FCC) entrepreneur is a testament not only to her work ethic and enthusiasm, but also to the unwavering support she received from Children’s Council of San Francisco.
Irma’s path to child care business owner was both serendipitous and personal. Growing up in Guatemala, her parents had a business known as a “barter store” or “staple store,” originally started by her grandparents. She says, “I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. My family’s business was well known in the community. Our family was large; we would get together at my grandparents’ home for family events and birthdays with all my cousins.”
Irma also felt drawn to educational environments, saying, “Back in Guatemala, from 2000-2004 I worked as an elementary art teacher and I also taught 6th-9th grade English.”
Married to the son of Elva Chamo, a veteran child care educator, Irma began helping out at her mother-in-law’s business soon after arriving in San Francisco in January 2020. She says,“The kids would gravitate to me because I would do art activities.You need abstract imagination to do this type of art with children. It’s always come easy to me. I also loved to chat with the parents, so it helped everyone get comfortable and get to know other people in the community.” But only two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing many businesses to close, including Elva’s child care program.
Irma faced a crossroads. Newly arrived in San Francisco with a teenage son to support, she decided to open her own home-based Family Child Care (FCC) business — but she wasn’t alone. She reached out to a Children’s Council staff member recommended by her mother-in-law. Irma soon enrolled in Children’s Council’s FCC Business Incubator program, a decision that would lay the foundation for her future success.
The workshops Irma attended and the information she received through the Incubator Program wasn’t just theoretical. “Each class assignment helped me take real steps toward opening my business,” she says. Children’s Council’s guidance extended beyond the virtual classroom; Incubator staff reviewed Irma’s work, offered personalized feedback and helped her build the confidence and knowledge she needed to succeed.
In January 2021, only one year after arriving in San Francisco, Irma was a licensed child care educator, opening her own Family Child Care business in her home in the city’s Mission Terrace neighborhood. Starting with a small FCC license (eight or less children), she expanded to a large FCC license (up to 14 children) the following year. Today her program provides nurturing care to 12 children ranging from four months to four years old. Irma says, “Seeing parents happy that their children are in a great environment is so satisfying!”
One of Children’s Council’s signature BizNest programs, the FCC Business Incubator Program offers a wide range of workshops and 1-on-1 supports for new, experienced and perspective child care educators. Less than six weeks after the pandemic hit, Children’s Council pivoted to a virtual environment, allowing both longtime and aspiring child care educators like Irma to attend workshops and receive critical guidance from highly experienced early education professionals via Zoom or by phone.
When Passion Meets Parnership
How Children’s Council helped Irma Schwarz Build her Family Child Care Dream (cont)
The support Irma receives from Children’s Council’s BizNest team continues still today. She and her staff regularly attend workshops focusing a full range of topics including nutrition, anti-bias training, and health and safety. She has also accessed free books through Children’s Council’s Lending Library, applied for pandemic recovery grants and stayed informed about new opportunities through the organization’s ongoing outreach.
Entrepreneurship Milestone
• Started to work in the field at an FCC
2020
Children’s Council services accessed
• Enrolled in FCC Incubator Series
2021
• Launched small FCC business (6-8 children)
• Expanded business to a large FCC (12-14 children)
• Joined Early Learning For All network
• Joined Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
• Advanced Early Education College Courses
• Initiated studies for a BA in Early Education
2022
• Child care referrals
• Health & Safety trainings
• Access to pandemic relief grants
• Virtual PlayLab classes
• Toys and books from lending library
• Training (Meal Time Matters)
2023
• CACFP trainings & meal cost reimbursement
2024
• Ongoing quality improvement trainings
But perhaps what’s most remarkable is how Irma has become more than a care provider, she’s a connector in her community. Nurturing strong relationships with and among parents is critically important in building a successful, sustainable home-based child care business. Through her program, families have built friendships, celebrating birthdays and milestones together outside of child care hours. For Irma, this is one of the greatest rewards.
“It’s inspiring to see the connections we build,” she says.
Without Children’s Council, Irma believes her journey would have been much more difficult. “It would have taken me longer to find my way, especially being so new in San Francisco.” Instead, with the right support at the right time, Irma transformed challenge into opportunity.Today, Irma stands not only as a successful business owner but also as a trusted figure in her community, proof of what’s possible when passion meets partnership.
Financial Spotlight
Financial Overview of Fiscal Year 2024-25*
Your contributions make it possible to provide innovative programs that ensure:
• Kids receive quality early education where they learn academic skills, eat healthy meals and gain critical social skills
• Parents are amazing caregivers and great employees contributing to a thriving community and economy
• Early childhood educators have the skills and support they need to nurture the next generation of San Franciscans
Our Supporters FY 2024-25
We thank our generous donors who contribute their time, money & talent toward our shared vision of quality child care & early education for all children in San Francisco.
The following list represents gifts received between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. Each gift uplifts our families and providers to nurture the next generation of San Franciscans. Thank you!
Government Funders
California Department of Social Services
County of Sonoma
Fresno County Superintendent of Schools
San Francisco Department of Early Childhood
San Francisco Department of Public Health
San Francisco Human Rights Commission
San Francisco Office of Economic & Workforce Development
Individual Donors
Anonymous (71)
Rehana Abbas & Timothy Ogburn
Silvia Aguilar
LaKesha Alexander
Angela’s Children Center
MJ Anguiano
Aricela Aranivar
Adelina Arcelona
Eric Arnett
Khun Bwe Aung
Jennifer Baclaan
Cecily Banks
Ittai Barzilay
Irene Bautista
Jackie & Timothy Bavaro
Sarah & Sean Behr
Joan & Mitch Berger
Janice & Thomas Berthold
Carolyn Bianco
Vanessa Bilanceri
Evelyn Blank
Sandee Blechman & Steven Goldberg
Carolyn Block
Victor Bonfilio
Barbara Boschetti
Janice Brody & Bruce Rule
Omar Butler
Carrie Byles
Lilian Cai
Tammy Cain
Emilie Calhoun
Barbara Carlson & Bruce Barrett, in memory of Patty Siegel
Celia Carrasco
Emily & David Casnocha
Thandiwe Cato
Elise Chan
Marlinawati Chan
Chatterjee Family
Milton Chen & Ruth Cox
Sharon Chen
Charlette Cheung
Connie Chiang & Ben Tran
Joshua Chin
Michelle Chiu
The Chrysalis Fund
Compass Family Services
Erlinda Concepcion
Bernardita V. Corpuz
Jessica Craig
Fabiola De Leon Soto
John Deleon
Brenda Dennis
Graham Dobson
Meredith & Stephen Dodson
Judith Dolan
Virginia Dold
Ben Doyle
Jean Doyle & Manish Champsee
Giving Fund
Princess Driver
Corina Dumitrescu
Marilyn Dunning & Alan Jacobson, in honor of Aaron Rosenthal
Marga Dusedau & David Sklar
FACES SF
Lauren Falk
Alba Farje
Amy Fazio
Eric Fischer & Family
Victoria Fong
Forest Rose Leaf Family Foundation
Jaime-Alexis Fowler & Adam Borelli
Cheryl Frank & Michael Linn
Jamie Freedman
Caitlin Fuller
Sidney Gaines
Johana Garcia
Kim & Peter Garcia-Meza
Graciela Gaytan
Tom & Jamie Geidt
Roxana George
Stephen Gikow & Sophie Hood
David Giuffrida
Richard W. Goldman Family Foundation
Goldman Sachs
Holly Gordon & David Pearce
Lawrence Gorski
Amy Gottesfeld
Zviki Govrin
Carrie Griffin
Joanna Guan
Xingle Guan
Evelyn Guiang
Clare Gupta & Andrew Myers
Anna & Nick Haemel
HalfMyDAF
Alison Heisner
Susan & Doug Hendrickson
Ed Hennis
Jessica Hilberman & Katrina Reid
Jennifer & Howard Holderness
May Huang
Oliver Huang
Instacart
Delaine Irvin
Amanda & Ben Jacobson
September Jarrett
Rodney Jefferson
Paul Johnson
Sherifa an Kamga
Melinda Kanter-Levy & Roger Levy
Nimesh Kapadia
Zhanneta Karapetyan
Koji Kawano
Lisa Kearns
Linnea Klee
Shanna Koenig
Kroger
Nina Kwan
Molly & Kirk Lacob
Elaine Lai
Sen Lam
Doris J. Landry
Amie & David Latterman
Danielle Lazier
John & Terry Levin Family Foundation
Barbara Levinson & Shel Schreiberg
Jake Levinson
Meilun Li
Michael Li
Yang Li
Yanyun Liang
Lian Yuan Liu
Michael Livshits
Helen Loeser & David Teitel
Elisabeth Long
Minerva Lopez
Xue Yan Lu
Zhi Jian Lu
Kim Lubin
Linn Lundstad
We thank our generous donors who contribute their time, money & talent toward our shared vision of quality child care & early education for all children in San Francisco.
Priscilla Luong
Laura Ma
Linda Mack-Burch
B. Joelene & James D. Maher
Becky Mai
Pooja Malik
Barbara & Marvin Manzanares
Mar Family
Melisa Mastrokyriakos
Erica Maybaum
Doris Jean Mayfield
Lawrence & Linda McClure, in honor of Beth Anne McClure
& Max Sklar
Gwendolyn McCormick
Kelly McKinley
McNabb Foundation
Erin Medlin
Theodros Mekuria
Nina Mendez
Mi Escuelita en Español
Judy Michalek
Kayley Miller
Leslie Milloy
Gale Mondry & Bruce Cohen
Marbely Monge
Chanel Moody
Martha Moreno
Eric & Mami Mori
Keona Morrison
Elvira Navarro
Malyssa Navarro
Vera Neinken
Dr. Lawrence Ng
Ailsa Joey Ngamakam
Jackangelo Ngamakam
Jacqueline Ngamakam
Loan Nguyen
Anna Nordberg & Brant Thompson
John Osterweis
Matt Padberg
Farris Page
Pei Family Foundation
Perella Weinberg Partners
Loan Phung
Maria Pinzon
Ayden Mateo Pondem
Marie Louise Pondem
Chiu Y. Poon
Porter Group LLC, in honor of Charlie McFadden
Hui Lan Qiu
Alrfred Quartaroli
Claudia & Emerson Quinonez
Karen Raccanello
Joel Remollino
Amanda Renschler
Angelica Rodriguez
Leslie Roffman
Elizabeth Rood
Chris Rooney, in honor of
Sarah Gulches Wolff
Bill Rosberg
Mary & Peter Rosberg
Aaron Rosenthal
Katja Roth
FEATURED PARTNER
Shu Fang Ruan
Grace Ruth
Zelda E. Saeli
Nancy Schieffelin
Aliza Schnayer
Diana Schneider
Ana Schrank
Mila Schultz
Makpal Shaganova
Kanade Shinkai
Tobias Siegel
Yensing Sihapanya
Angela & Philip Siharath
Deborah Sims
Wendy & Bob Singley
David Sloves
Lucille Smith
Ivyanka Smothers
Helin Solmaz
Rosario Somocurcio
Berenice Roth Spalding
Family Foundation
Margarita Spataro
Deborah Spaulding
Laura & Greg Spivy
Nancy Stalker
Lygia Stebbing
Kim Stryker &
Mark Anderson
Roselyne C. Swig
Ansi Taing
Anthinee Tam
Priya Thridandam
Criselda Tongol
Janet Traub
Louise Tuimavave
Amanda Tutera
Underground Agency
Brandy Vause
Rose Vilma Gass
Wah Mei School
Yanmei Wang
Amy Warehouse & Brad Steinle
Maegan Warehouse & Kevin Puleo
Phil Warner
Elizabeth & Richmond Watkins
Kate Weiss
Nancy White
Ruth Donig-White &
Robert E. White, in honor of Gale Mondry
Steve White, in honor of Lucy White
Marcy Whitebook
Jenn Wilcox Thomas & Ahin Thomas
Lance Winters
Harold Woodson
Elizabeth Wright
Kara Wright
Shui Lian Xuan
Thai Xuan
Maria Yang
Shunxia Ye
Ernest Yu
Su Ling Yu
Xueying Zhang
Jennifer Zigas
The San Francisco Department of Early Childhood (DEC) is the city department solely dedicated to supporting San Francisco’s youngest residents. Children’s Council partners with DEC to help families navigate early care and education. Together, we advance key initiatives—including Early Learning for All, Early Connections and the Workforce Initiative—to expand access to quality child care and ensure providers have the training and resources they need to support young children across the city.
Thank you to our Supporters (continued)
Institutional Support
We are deeply grateful to the corporations and foundations who share our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Together, we are nurturing a community where families feel supported, children have access to quality care and education, and educators are celebrated and uplifted by the communities they serve.
Foundation Partners
Crankstart Foundation
Mimi and Peter Haas Fund
Corporate Partners
River City Bank
AlphaSights
Anthem Blue Cross
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Banana Fana Preschool
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation Hellman Foundation
Bayview YMCA Family Resource Center
brightwheel
Chinese Community Health Plan
Cross Cultural Family Center
Legacy Society
Estrada Design Build
The James Irvine Foundation
Walter S. Johnson Foundation
Flynn, Shojinaga & Associates
Golden State Warriors
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Kaiser Permanente
Low Income Investment Fund
MCT Technology
Mindshare Group
Montessori House of Children
Mental Wellness Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation
Parent Voices California
Presidio Knolls School
Ripple
San Francisco Gymnastics
San Francisco Health Plan
St. James Catholic School
United Parent Leaders Action Network
Wells Fargo
The Legacy Society recognizes and honors all individuals who provide support for Children’s Council of San Francisco in their wills, trusts, retirement plans, life insurance designations and other planned gifts. By joining others who have taken this step, you can take satisfaction from knowing that you are part of an important legacy.
If you think you qualify for membership, please email Sara Rubenstein (srubenstein@childrenscouncil org) to inform us of your planned gift. We would like to thank you for your generosity and include you as a member of the Legacy Society.
Anonymous (10)
Ann Dryg
Monique El’Amin
Sarita Escobar
Ruth Gemora
Yvette Guardado
Tazia Harris
In-Kind Donors
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bi-Rite Family of Businesses
Blue Light Bar
Brucato Amaro
Carneros Resort & Spa
Club Fugazi
CuriOdyssey
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
Maryetta Jefferson
Mohan Kanungo
Lourdes Lautan
Queenie Lee
Carol Lipof
Dion Montalvo
Sola Morrissey
Gourmet Gift Baskets
Hot Cookie
It’s Yoga Kids
John Anthony Vineyards
Molly & Kirk Lacob
Jake Levinson
Jeremy McMillan
Mi Escuelita en Español
Elizabeth Najera Sanchez
Masako Oishi
Felicia Pitre
Porche Releford
Karina Sanchez
Shelly Scott
Demetriel Taylor
Pier 39
Presidio Bowl
The Redwoods in Yosemite
Roche Winery & Vineyards
Roka Akor
Round Pond Estate
San Francisco Ballet
Ana-Marie Urbieta
Marissa Valdez-Montalvo
Rachel Washington
Maica Watson
Tiffani Whitfield
Wendy Williams
Meifen Xie
San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Gymnastics
San Francisco Zoo
Brad & Amy Steinle
Trader Joe’s
Wait Cellars
Walt Disney Family Museum
It Takes a Village: meet our team
Introducing Our Diverse Leadership Team
Our executive leadership team is a vibrant mosaic of individuals whose various lived experiences uniquely equip them to center community in setting our strategic direction. Bringing experiences from across generations, industries, sexualorientation and gender identity, race/ethnicities, each member brings a rich tapestry of personal narratives that shape our collective vision. Team members bring lived experiences as mothers, fathers, aunties, abuelas, children of educators and caregivers of all kinds. Their diverse backgrounds and deep-rooted empathy allow us to approach challenges with a profound sense of understanding and inclusivity, ensuring that our strategic decisions are anchored in the needs and aspirations of our community.
Meet the individuals who lead our team in fostering a culture where every voice is valued, and community remains at the heart of all that we do.
Our Executive Team
Assisting 25,000 families every year and overseeing a staff of 160+, our Executive Team is made up of inspiring, highly experienced leaders who draw from the community’s knowledge to guide the organization forward.
Claudia Quinonez Chief of Staff
Barbara Coccodrilli Carlson President and Chief Executive Officer
Phillip Warner Chief Compliance Officer
Tiffany Stephens Chief Technology Officer
José A. Rodríguez Chief Human Resources Officer
Ben Doyle Chief Programs Officer
Eric Fischer Chief Financial Officer
It Takes a Village: meet our team
Mission-Focused + Culturally Competent
• We have expertise in the Strengthening Families Protective Factors anchored in trauma-informed care and social work.
• A third of our staff have academic and professional certifications in pedagogy, child development, psychology, social work, public policy and family studies/health.
• One-quarter of our staff have real-world experience as child educators or caregivers.
• Over half of all staff are bilingual.
• We provide services in five core languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian.
Every family faces unique challenges. It’s our job to make sure every family we work with is heard, understood and supported. That’s why our staff have a unique blend of cultural competencies, early childhood certifications and real-world child educator experience.
Our Board of Directors 2024-25
Our board is comprised of dedicated community and business leaders who are passionate about quality child care and early education.
Executive Committee
Rehana Abbas, Chair
Amanda Jacobson, Secretary
Marga Dusedau, Treasurer
Directors
Sarah Behr
Evelyn Blank
Omar Butler
Thandiwe Cato
Jessica Hilberman
Molly Lacob
Jake Levinson
Vera Neinken
Farris Page, Emeritus
Jennifer Sam
Kanade Shinkai
Amanda Tutera
Maegan Warehouse
Elizabeth Watkins
Ben Wong
Child Care Matters: learn about the impact of Children’s Council
Children’s Council of San Francisco
For over 50 years, Children’s Council has been a champion for families in San Francisco. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we advocate for quality early care and education, empower families with information and financial support, and build the capabilities of educators to ensure that every child in San Francisco has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.”
— Rita Pierson, Educator
Connect. We give our city’s children the opportunity to succeed by connecting families to quality child care and the financial resources to pay for it.
Partner. We partner with child care providers, community organizations and local and state policymakers to elevate the quality and affordability of available child care.
Steward. We steward government funds that support low-income families’ access to nurturing, developmentally appropriate care for their children.
Innovate. We leverage private support to develop innovative programs that strengthen families, support children’s developmental needs and nurture child care businesses.
We believe in a San Francisco where every child is able to reach their full potential and thrive.
Child Care Matters: learn about the impact of Children’s Council
Why does child care matter?
• A nurturing and loving environment — a safe place to learn new skills, eat healthy food and grow
• The support parents need to maintain a job, get a new one or go back to school
Parents can work and financially support their families
Child Care Providers are community anchors, preserving diversity of SF neighborhoods
Children succeed in school, work and life
In San Francisco, families face a unique child care challenge:
1
2
3
Child care costs in San Francisco are among the highest in the country1, with most families spending between $1,775 and $2,915 per month on child care2. For the nearly one in five San Francisco workers in low-wage occupations3, child care can consume more than half of their monthly income.
Finding child care for San Francisco’s youngest children is a challenge. Licensed care for children 0-2 years old only meets 16.5% of the estimated need for families4, meaning that families must often wait for a spot to open.
Without access to child care, parental stress grows. Balancing work, life and your child’s developmental needs is very difficult.
brains grow | careers flourish | families and communities thrive
1HelpAdvisor.com. “The Most Expensive States for Childcare: 2023 Costs by City and State.” HelpAdvisor.com, 2023, https://www.helpadvisor.com/community-health/ childcare-costs-report. Accessed on 8 May 2026. Winters, Mike. “Most Expensive Cities to Raise a Child in the U.S.” CNBC, 26 May 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/26/most-expensive-cities-to-raise-a-child-in-the-us. html. Accessed on 8 May 2026.
2U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. “The Price of Child Care by Selected Counties in California: 2022 Prices with 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Prices in Parentheses.” Tableau Public, 18 Mar. 2025, https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/women.s.bureau.department.of.labor/viz/CountyFactsheets/Childcareinthecounties. Accessed on 8 May 2026.
3UC Berkeley Labor Center. “Low-Wage Work in California Data Explorer 2024.” UC Berkeley Labor Center, 15 Jul. 2024, https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/low-wage-work-incalifornia-data-explorer-2024/. Accessed on 8 May 2026.
4San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council (CPAC). “San Francisco Early Care and Education 2023 Needs Assessment Report.” San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council, Aug. 2023, https://sfcpac.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Final-CPAC-2023-Needs-Assesment-Full-Report-Last-Edits.pdf. Accessed on 8 May 2026.
