Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Centers 2022 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report

NOTES FROM LEADERSHIP

How a child starts kindergarten can be life-altering. They can start school ready by knowing the alphabet, numbers, how to write and recognize their name and even how to read. They can also start school behind, like more than 50% of the children in our community, not able to recognize eight alphabet letters or how to count to 10. How they start rarely has anything to do with the child’s intelligence, but rather their access to opportunities. If a student starts behind in school, they are likely to remain behind in school. When a child isn’t ready for kindergarten, it impacts their entire educational career and can limit future opportunities.

Children at a lower socioeconomic status tend to start further behind than those with more economic stability.

This is why our donors’ support is so important. As a parent, it is incredibly difficult to think about not being able to provide my child with what they need to succeed. Giraffe Laugh provides community food pantries, parent education and other supportive services. They invest in the best educational programs and provide experiences like swim lessons and visits to the zoo that might not otherwise be possible. Children at Giraffe Laugh are able to learn with full bellies and a positive and engaging environment.

As I reflect on 2022, I think about how Giraffe Laugh has changed the trajectory for so many children and families, and I am grateful for the generosity of our community. Thank you to the teachers, parents, donors, collaborators and supporters for giving their time and support to Giraffe Laugh. There is still much work to be done, and with your help, Giraffe Laugh will continue to positively impact the lives of children and families in our community. Thank you!

2022 was a year of daring and caring at Giraffe Laugh. We dared to dream of a future for children that didn’t include masks and health scares and extreme staff turnover. We dared to step up and provide for children and families despite incredible odds that said we wouldn’t make it. More than 200 centers in Idaho didn’t succeed. We dared to be brave enough to increase teacher wages to ensure their well-being and a livable wage and we dared to be tenacious enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other toward a brighter future for our children and families.

Despite closures around the state of Idaho of a magnitude never seen, Giraffe Laugh not only survived, but thrived. Our children were being educated and nurtured while parents had a return to normalcy. We graduated 29 children who entered kindergarten ready, prepared and daring to believe in a future that is brighter than imagined. We are grateful to all of you who are a part of our important work and recognize the impact a quality early childhood experience has on our children, their family and our entire state. Our community has rallied behind children and Idaho’s workforce, knowing the little hands we hold daily are precious and time is fleeting to impact their little lives. Thank you for being a part of our 2022 success. We cannot wait to tell you more about what we have planned for 2023!

Lori Fascilla Executive Director

Emily Solly

2022 Board President

OVERVIEW OF GIRAFFE LAUGH

Mission

To provide early care and education to young children by ensuring school readiness, empowering families, and building strong futures.

Vision

Every child in the Treasure Valley has access to quality early care and education, and all parents are supported through the early years of parenthood regardless of age or income.

Values: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Responsibility: modeling accountability to children, staff, parents, board, and self

Excellence: dedicated to the mission and values of Giraffe Laugh

Stability: maintaining a consistent environment for all families

Pride: instilling pride in our diversity

Education: cultivating a love of learning in children, staff, and parents

Caring: modeling patience and empathy for children and adults in a nurturing environment

Teamwork: committed to staff, parents, and board working together in the best interest of children

Our Centers

We currently have two full-time centers that serve children 0-5 years old, a full-time preschool program that serves children 3.5-5 years old and a summer program that serves children that are of school-age.

Diversity Represented at Giraffe Laugh in 2022

2022 Board of Directors

Emily Solly, President

Mike Sharp, Vice President

Sara Harvey, Secretary

Cassie Runyan, Treasurer

Alisa Bondurant

Amanda Broadnax

Connie Brown Olson

Dorothy Hardee

Vanessa Lewis

Briana McLaughlin

Brady Moore

Nikki O’Toole

Rocio Rivera

Drawing by 5-year-old Nova, a student at Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City

INCOME EXPENSES

DARE TO LEARN

Nearly half of all Idaho children are unprepared when they enter kindergarten. Every child deserves a secure, comfortable childhood, as well as access to quality programs that strengthen and empower them. Giraffe Laugh dares to ensure school readiness.

50%

29 graduates

We were lucky enough to have our son attend Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City for 1.5 school years. When Theodore entered kindergarten, he was well beyond ready for his classroom. We were concerned after being home and isolated for the Covid years and the lack of social interaction, that he would suffer in the school setting. However, due in no small part to the efforts of Ms. Anita, Miss Annie, and the amazing care, dedication, social-emotional attention and school readiness preparation they instill into each student, Theodore has surpassed our expectations, excelling in the school setting. I wish every kid was lucky enough to attend.

- Parent of Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City student

of children in Idaho are not prepared for school.

from Giraffe Laugh’s three preschools in 2022.

DARE TO DREAM

Parents and guardians are the most important people in a child’s life. Parenting is not easy, and when adults in a family feel connected and supported, they are empowered to strengthen their family. When we enroll a child, we enroll a family. Giraffe Laugh dares to empower families.

1,800+

children in Idaho are reported neglected or abused each year.

2022 Giraffe Laugh Parent Opportunities

• Parent Advisory Committee

• Parent Teacher Conferences

• Family Open Houses

• Monthly Parent Newsletter

Giraffe Laugh provided my family with stability. When our daughter was born, our son had been at Giraffe Laugh for almost three years. With the consistency, love and support from Giraffe Laugh our son never missed a beat. He is the best big brother and we knew that day in and day out he was getting the stability he needed from his teachers and the staff at Giraffe Laugh. When it came time to send our daughter to Giraffe Laugh, we were able to drop her off knowing that she would be loved and taken care of the same way our son has for the past three years. Watching the knowledge my son has gained over the past three years makes me excited for what is to come, and I can’t wait to see the strides our daughter will make.

- Parent of Giraffe Laugh 4 student

• Lee Pesky’s “Kindergarten Readiness” Workshops

• Stengthening Families Classes

• Parent Listening Sessions

• Weekly Story Time with Parents

• Field Trips to Parent Workplaces

• READY! For Kindergarten

• Resources to tracking developmental milestones according to the CDC

Drawing by 4-year-old Aerin, a student at Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City

DARE TO IMAGINE

The foundation for growth and development often starts with proper nutrition. In an effort to diminish food insecurity, we offer food pantries at our centers, ensuring regular access to an abundance of high-quality nourishment for our families and the surrounding community. Giraffe Laugh dares to build strong futures.

1 in 10

children go to bed hungry every night in Ada County.

34,788

meals were served at all Giraffe Laugh centers in 2022.

It’s been so helpful to have food available so close to us. I don’t have a car and there are no other food pantries within walking distance. I really like that you guys put out fresh fruits and vegetables. Those are so expensive, even at Winco.

- Community Member and Single Mom

I like knowing that if I need help with food, it’s here and there is no judgment.

- Staff Member at Giraffe Laugh

MIRIAM’S STORY

Miriam moved to Boise from Mexico when she was eight years old. She is the mother of four beautiful daughters, all of whom she had at a young age and close together. Miriam and her husband have always valued education. They wanted their children to get the education they didn’t get to have, never having graduated from high school themselves. They knew that preschools existed but thought they were just for playing. She and her husband didn’t know that preschools used curriculum to help children reach kindergarten requirements.

Miriam’s mother was a strong supporter of preschool, and she urged her to enroll her oldest child in a preschool program. Miriam knew that she made the right decision by enrolling her eldest when her daughter knew letters, shapes, colors and numbers. When Miriam had her second and third daughters, she decided it was time for her to stop working to begin the hardest job of all - stay-at-home parent! Although the girls were all happy at home with their mother, Miriam could tell they were beginning to fall behind in school. They were lacking social skills, self-esteem and the basics of kindergarten, like sharing and conflict resolution.

Soon after, Miriam had her fourth daughter, Jazmahni. Miriam saw the difference between what preschool did for her eldest daughter and how her middle children’s learning was impacted by not attending preschool. She knew what she needed to do for Jazmahni!

Miriam reached out to Giraffe Laugh Garden City Preschool and asked if they had space for Jazmahni. She was worried because after being home to raise her daughters for eight years, the family budget on a single income was tight. She was relieved to find out that there were scholarships available for families like hers. If they hadn’t received the scholarship, they wouldn’t have been able to send Jazmahni to preschool.

When Jazmahni started preschool, she was shy and reserved. Even at home, she wouldn’t allow her extended family members to hold her and barely wanted to talk to them. Her grandmother’s first language is Spanish, and Jazmahni often refused to speak to her on the phone because she was worried about not understanding her. Having only interacted with her sisters at home, Jazmahni had the challenge

of acclimating to a class of 16 strangers at preschool ahead of her. She wasn’t able to spell her name or count past three.

Over a year later, Jazmahni is thriving in school. She excels at connecting with her peers, loves to make friends, is an active participant in class and is always engaged in classroom activities. Her family marvels at how smart she is. Jazmahni often asks to call her grandma to tell her what she is learning in school. One of the most exciting things to Miriam is that Jazmahni is already thinking about the future. She pretends to be a teacher at home, and while her mom is cooking, she will say, “if you raise your hand I will get you the tomato.”

Not only have Miriam and her husband loved seeing Jazmahni grow and learn every day as a result of attending Giraffe Laugh, they have also been helped by Giraffe Laugh in many other ways. They utilize the classroom food pantry frequently and have received grocery gift cards to assist in getting essential items. Their family was also adopted for Christmas by a Giraffe Laugh supporter, receiving presents for all four children along with some for the parents. Miriam was so relieved to be able to access these services.

While their family’s priority was ensuring that Jazmahni had a strong start to her education, Miriam was happy to be able to re-enter the workforce. This program has allowed her family to get on their feet and look forward to the future.

Drawing by 5-year-old Jazmahni, a student at Giraffe Laugh Preschool in Garden City

DARE TO INSPIRE

Dora Rodriguez was born in a small town in the northern part of Mexico in the state of Chihuahua. When Dora was 17 years old, she moved to Los Angeles, California. Dora met her husband while attending college to become a social worker. They have been married for 44 years and have four children together. Dora is the proud “Nana” of seven grandchildren.

Dora thinks of Giraffe Laugh as her second family. She has been working at Giraffe Laugh 2 on Grand Avenue since the day it opened 18 years ago. While reminiscing on her time at the center, Dora remembers Lori joking that she “came with the building.” Dora has a total of 30 years of experience in child care, serving homeless children and families, children in her church, in addition to countless Giraffe Laugh families.

Dora is passionate about working with children. “Bright, grinning faces and the sparkle in small, innocent eyes always brings a smile to my face,” she says, “I enjoy teaching children and I like to have fun at the same time.” What inspired Dora’s career in child care was watching her mother teach young children with love and dedication. Dora continues to be inspired by the progress she sees in each child taught in her classroom and at the center. “If they start with a good beginning, they will have a good future,” Dora confidently states. When asked about her favorite part of working for Giraffe Laugh, Dora talked about the lessons that

she has found most impactful as children meet their milestones and continue to grow. She feels kindness and empathy are among the most important lessons we can teach every day. Lessons such as these give children a foundation that they can build on for the rest of their lives. Another one of Dora’s favorite aspects of working for Giraffe Laugh is getting to see children return as volunteers to the program.

An achievement that Dora is most proud of is going back to school and completing her degree in early childhood education. She did this while working at Giraffe Laugh. She wanted to lead by example and show her children and grandchildren that no matter your age, if you set your mind on doing something, you can accomplish it. Dora’s mother instilled a value of hard work in her, along with responsibility and compassion for others.

Dora likes traveling, reading books, and jogging. She also enjoys watching sunsets and going on walks with her husband. She is a Dodgers fan and loves watching baseball. Dora values spending time and creating memories with her family.

Dora’s favorite quote about teaching is, “Tell me and I’ll forget, teach me and I’ll remember, involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin

DARE TO ACT

Dream Big Society

Amber & Scott Alexander

Leslie Yoest & Matt Alsager

Brian Aragon

Renee & Ryan Bade

Megan & Michael Bjerke

Alisa Bondurant

Laura & Aaron Brown

Breanna & Kyle Brush

May Chivers Adcox

Jonny & Clara Comes

Fred & Jill Cornforth

Shannon & Don Drum

Jennifer & Ross Erickson

Joe & Lori Fascilla

Alex Fascilla

Emily Fascilla

Stacy Ware & Renae Goodwin-War

Katie Bosch-Wilson & Matt Harada

Dorothy Hardee

Linda & Jim Hardee

Howard & Antonia Hedrick

Kailey Holt

Sarah Mericle-Hoppell & Troy Hoppell

Julia Joy

Neile & Gary Kyle

Janet & Dave Larsen

Thomas & Tara Lloyd

Donna Dempster-McClain & John McClain

Conor & Courtney McGrath

Kristy & Nick Mitchell

Sue & Steve Moore

Brandon Morgan

Teri & Richard Murrison

Dr. George & Judy Nicola

Asa & Chris Nims

Theresa O’Connor

Andrea Roope

Kirk & Carolyn Ross

Cassie Runyan

Pamela Rybus

Mike & Hannah Sharp

Tammi & Jeff Sharp

Jason & Rhiannon Smith

Traci Trefaller Smith & Randy Smith

Emily Solly

James & Patti Stevenson

Maria & Steve Suarez

Scott Summerlin

Sergio & Terrie Trevino

Patricia Truman

Cassandra Wagner

Julie & JT Waters

Jonna & Reed Weber

Corporate Sponsors

Community Development, Inc.

Deloitte

ESI Cares, Inc.

Fairway Independent Mortgage

Hawley Troxell

Idaho Central Credit Union

Norco, Inc.

Pacific Office Automation

Community Partners

Boise Giving Circle

Boys and Girls Club of Ada CountyMoseley Center

Citizen Scientific Workshop

First Congregational United Church of Christ

Full Tilt Studio

Greet Eagle

HP, Inc. Benevity

IDACORP Employee Fund

Idaho District 15 Democrats

Idaho Nonprofit Center

Lamb Weston Benevity

Race to Robie Creek - Rocky Canyon

Sail Toads

Smitten Sweets

Stoltz Marketing Group

Veritas Business Solutions

Grants & Foundations

Dix Brown Memorial Fund

Feldman Family Foundation

First Interstate Bank

Gladys E. Langroise Advised Fund in Idaho Community Foundation

Home Partnership Foundation, Inc.

HP, Inc.

Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

Idaho Future Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation

Intermountain Gas Company

Kissler Family Foundation

MDU Resources

MGI Foundation

Pacific Source Health Plans

POWER Foundation, Inc.

Rotary Club of Boise Centennial

Rotary Club of Boise Sunrise Scentsy, Inc.

Scott & Sabrina Ellis

Select Health

St. Luke’s Community Health Improvement Fund

The Fund for Joe’s Kids in the Idaho Community Foundation

Julius C. Jeker Foundation, Inc.

The Stu & Molly Guenther

Charitable Fund

Whittenberger Foundation

Winco Foods Foundation, Inc.

The future is in your hands.

Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Centers 4094 W Chinden Blvd., Ste. #100 Garden City, ID 83714