CHILDREN’S COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO
ANNUAL REPORT 2012
SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2012
Provided
10,858 referrals to child care and other community resources
Helped
7,000 families connect to child care financial assistance
161
Helped families locate inclusive care for a child with special needs
2,591 participants in child care provider trainings Conducted
3,060 hours of mental health consultations at 13 child care sites
1.2 million nutritious meals served to 2,345 children by child care providers in our Food Program
BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT
Elena Schmid SECRETARY
Renita Sinn TREASURER
Catriona M. Fallon
Albert Archangel Sara Bennett Casey Federico Jennifer Holderness Yolanda L. Jenkins, Ph.D. James T. Kirk Jezabel Serrano
OUR MISSION
Children’s Council of San Francisco is a child care resource and referral organization, connecting families to child care that meets their needs and working with parents, providers and community partners to make quality child care and early education a reality for all children in our city.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Access to quality child care remains a major challenge for families in our community, particularly lower income parents working to achieve economic self-sufficiency and to provide for their families. During the past year, state budget cuts have significantly stressed the system that supports families by reducing the amount of child care financial assistance available, by limiting the rates paid to child care providers, and by modifying the funding for organizations like Children’s Council that administer the child care subsidy system and provide assistance to both families and providers. The past year has been one of both challenges and opportunities for Children’s Council, and a year in which we have reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to make quality child care and early education a reality for all children in our city. In response to budget cuts, we have weathered the financial challenges by streamlining our operations, by establishing stronger relationships with our local government partners, and by launching a fundraising program to build a private base of support. We also focused on improving our services — clarifying our mission and honing our vision for how we best serve the families and child care providers of our city. On a daily basis, our 100+ staff work diligently to help families find care that meets their needs and to improve the quality of care available. In the past year, we helped over 18,000 families directly and many thousands more indirectly through the support we provide to child care providers. The stories later in this report offer a deeper understanding of the direct impact of our programs. In addition to our ongoing work — providing counseling and referrals to families seeking child care, providing training, technical assistance, support, and consultation to child care providers, and partnering with local government to ensure the financial viability of child care enterprises — we were pleased to be selected by our local child care funders for three new contracts; the San Francisco Child Care Connection (SF3C), the Family Child Care Quality Network, and C-WAGES (Compensation and Wage Augmentation Grants for Economic Support) — new programs designed to streamline access to care for low-income families and to improve the quality of care available to them. We are profoundly grateful to the child care professionals and our numerous community and public partners, both locally and statewide, who join with us in advocating for child care funding and who share our commitment to making quality child care available to families throughout our city and state. We also want to express our deep thanks to our funders, both public and private, who make it possible for us to do our work supporting families and child care providers. And our heartfelt thanks go to Children’s Council’s staff members who demonstrate their commitment to providing quality service to our clients every day, as well as the board members who give generously of their time and talent in the critical role of governing the organization.
Elena Schmid
Sandee Blechman
President
Executive Director
CLIENT STORIES RESOURCE AND REFERRAL Children’s Council’s dedicated counselors provide free, multilingual assistance in finding child care, including access to our database of more than 1,000 licensed child care providers. Through one-on-one counseling and monthly Choosing Child Care Workshops, parents learn to evaluate child care options and determine the best fit for their family. Counselors also support parents with legal, health, financial and other community resources.
CONNECTING FAMILIES TO CARE
MIA AND CIELO
“Children’s Council
helped me find a program where I know my daughter is well cared for, and now I have the peace of mind to pursue my goals.” –MIA JOJOLA
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Already busy pursuing a college degree, M I A J O J O L A’s pregnancy came as a surprise. Facing the challenge of being a single mother and full-time student, Mia was happy to have the support of her mother, Lorena, in finding child care. Lorena conducts trainings for child care providers on creating inclusive environments for dual language learners. So she knew about Children’s Council’s Resource and Referral service and met with a counselor on Mia’s behalf. Because of her background Lorena has high standards for anyone related to the child care field. Even with those expectations, she was very impressed by the organization, professionalism and positive attitude of the counselor who helped her explore child care options. After learning about the different types of child care settings, Mia knew she wanted her daughter, Cielo, in a center with expertise in infant care. She found that at San Francisco State, where Cielo attends daycare while Mia focuses on her goals of attending nursing school and someday working in pre-natal or pediatric nursing.
ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF CARE B R E N DA S M I T H opened her family daycare in 1997 as a second career. She has always loved her work, creating a nurturing and loving environment for the children in her care. However, she didn’t know about child care provider licensing until 2000, when a casual conversation at the local playground led her to contact Children’s Council for help obtaining an operating license. As a licensed provider Brenda was able to begin earning higher rates. She soon began attending Children’s Council’s child care provider trainings, which she credits with deepening her knowledge of business operations as well as child development. Now, with support from Children’s Council, Brenda is working toward a degree in early childhood education through the Supporting Early Childhood Degrees (SEED) program at San Francisco State. And in the spring of 2012 she received the University of San Francisco’s Gellert Family Business Award recognizing extraordinary family business achievement and community service.
PROVIDER SUPPORT SERVICES Children’s Council believes that all families deserve access to quality, affordable child care. With the goal of improving the quality of available care, our professional development team provides educational programs, technical assistance and support to established caregivers as well as those who are entering the field.
“Child care providers can learn so much from Children’s Council’s programs — not just how to create a better environment for the children, but also how to operate a better business.” –BRENDA SMITH
BRENDA SMITH WITH CHILDREN IN HER DAYCARE
ACHIEVING SELF-SUFFICIENCY
“I’ve cried with gratitude many times. Children’s Council has always been there for me.” –TENA WORKU
TENA WORKU AND HER CHILDREN, SELASSIE (left), BEZA AND ORLANDO
When T E N A W O R K U ’s family emigrated from Ethiopia to California in 1999, she had to learn English on the fly as a high school student. That adaptability has served her well as a single mother of three young children. Tena was referred to Children’s Council in 2005, when her first son was an infant and she was a student at San Francisco State. Tena qualified for child care payment assistance and was able to continue her studies at SF State while working part-time. Over the years, welcoming her second and third children, plus her semester-by-semester schedule changes, Tena had to navigate a steady stream of revised contracts and other paperwork in order to maintain her payment support. Through it all, her Children’s Council Family Service Specialists made her responsibilities easy to understand, made sure payments arrived on time, and offered moral support that she’ll never forget. Tena recently graduated with a BA in Criminal Justice and works as a Sheriff’s Cadet. She has aspirations of a career with the CIA. With her children in reliable care, and with the financial assistance to pay for it, Tena never had to give up on her dream of graduating or her faith that she is creating a better future for her family.
FAMILY SUBSIDY SERVICES In partnership with state and local funders, Children’s Council helps income-eligible parents who are working, in training, or attending school to access financial assistance for child care. The Family Subsidy team helps families find quality care and pays providers on their behalf, enabling children from low-income families to benefit from valuable early care and education as their parents work toward self-sufficiency.
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INCLUSION TEAM Finding fully inclusive child care is a challenge for families of children with special needs. The Inclusion Team works with families to understand their child’s needs and the type of care needed.
INCLUDING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS J OA N N A VA N B R U S S E L E N ’s daughter, Iolani, was born with multiple disabilities. In her first two years Iolani was cared for entirely by family members. So when JoAnna, the primary caregiver, had an opportunity to begin a new career, it meant Iolani would need child care. JoAnna’s family wanted a fully inclusive program and began contacting providers on their own. Finding a provider with the necessary skills and an inclusive philosophy proved more difficult than expected. Then JoAnna was referred to the Children’s Council Inclusion Team. A Child Development Specialist with extensive knowledge of local programs worked to understand Iolani’s needs. Together he and JoAnna found a center that was a good fit for Iolani. Even after Iolani was welcomed into the center, the Inclusion Team gave the center’s staff ongoing training and support so they could successfully include her. Iolani went on to thrive in the program and, with her growing independence, is now enjoying preschool, while JoAnna pursues her new career.
JOANNA AND HER HUSBAND, MARK, ENJOY A MOMENT WITH IOLANI
“Our family gained a great deal thanks to the support I received from Children’s Council’s Inclusion Team. I will always be grateful.” –JOANNA VAN BRUSSELEN
FISCAL YEAR IN REVIEW* YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2012 TOTAL BUDGET – $55,964,714 CHILD CARE PAYMENTS $29,139,075 PROVIDER INCOME SUPPORTS $17,387,866 PROGRAMS AND OPERATIONS $9,437,773
Family Services
$6,895,314
Provider Support Services
$971,488
Inclusion & Mental Health
$604,742
Resource & Referral
$582,001
Nutrition & Wellness
$321,237
Parent Voices
$62,991
*Unaudited figures
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Children’s Council is proud to play an active role in our community, highlighting the benefits of child care funding, hosting events and publishing family resources. Here are some highlights of our work:
Sponsoring a branch of Parent Voices statewide grassroots organizing network
Educating local and state elected officials on child care funding and policies
Hosting annual Nutrition Night promoting healthy eating and wellness to local students, educators and community members
Hosting annual Resource Fair connecting families and child care providers to financial, health, legal and other local services
Publishing annual Summer and Afterschool guides used by parents and educators
Publishing monthly Children’s News e-newsletter with parenting support and local family resources
Offering free Lending Library of toys, books and educational materials
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OUR SUPPORTERS GOVERNMENT FUNDERS California Department of Education California Department of Public Health City and County of San Francisco Department of Public Health City and County of San Francisco Department of Children, Youth & Their Families City and County of San Francisco Human Services Agency First 5 San Francisco Children and Families Commission
DONORS FOUNDATIONS
INDIVIDUALS
The Albert and Judith Goldberg Foundation Laszlo N. Tauber Family Foundation The Lisa and John Pritzker Family Fund Mimi and Peter Haas Fund The Morris Stulsaft Foundation The San Francisco Foundation
Audrey Agustin-Kirk and James Kirk Janis and Mitchell Andrews James Annunziata Susan Bailey and David Harnden Alvin Baum Wendy Bear Sara Bennett Beverly Blechman Nina and Michael Blechman Sandee Blechman and Steven Goldberg Norvella Brooks Todd Brown Marlina Chan Gurpal Dosanjh Catriona Fallon Casey and Pablo Federico April Mei Fong-Ortega Nicholas Footracer Carolin Garvey and Fred Kaynor David S. Gast Allyson Halpern and Dan Cohen Roger Hernandez David Hoffman Jennifer and Howard Holderness Melanie Hopson Yolanda Jenkins April Jones Joan Karlin and Paul Resnick Laurie and Peer Krane Kim Kruckel Amy Lee Jaclyn Lwan Beverly Melugin Paulette J. Meyer and David A. Friedman Gale Mondry and Bruce Cohen Negar Naraghi Farris Page Sally Pandji Claudia Quinonez Amy and Joshua Rassen
CORPORATIONS
Apple Matching Gifts Program California Child Care Resource & Referral Network Ernst & Young Genentech Google Matching Gifts Program Harrington Group Kaiser Permanente Community Campaign MasterCard Matching Gift Program Mechanics Bank PG&E Corporate Campaign Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, Inc. Rosen, Bien, Galvan & Grunfeld, LLP San Francisco Health Plan Smart & Final Charitable Foundation United Way California Capital Region United Way of the Bay Area United Way of Greater St. Louis Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign
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Kobie Roberts Susan Rothstein and John Koeppel Andrea Scharf and Kenneth Krug Elena Schmid Jezabel Serrano Carol Shenon and Albert Archangel Kevin Sietho William Singleton Wendy and Robert Singley Renita Sinn Vera and Harold Stein Catharine Strauss Fred Tse Rebecca Turner and Marc Zussman Shellie Wiener Michael Williams Marcus Yamane Amy Zhang David Ziegler Catherine Zinn and Aaron Rosenthal
IN-KIND
Aquarium of The Bay Carlos E. Aleman, EA Costumes on Haight Dance Out Diabetes Genentech Google Grace Urban Ministries Happy Boy Farms Hewlett-Packard Leah’s Pantry Noe Valley Family Ventures Noe Valley Smiles and Braces R3V3RS3 TH3 TR3ND INC San Francisco Bike Coalition San Francisco Police Department Sports Basement Tangerine, Pacific Rim Cuisine Trader Joe’s Whole Foods
COMMUNITY PARTNERS California Early Childhood Mentor Program Child Care Law Center City College of San Francisco, Child Development and Family Studies Department City College of San Francisco, Family Child Care Peer Mentor Program City College of San Francisco, Professional Development Project Compass Family Services Family Child Care Association of San Francisco Gateway to Quality Program, San Francisco State University Healthy San Francisco Holy Family Day Home Mission Economic Development Agency Nakali Consulting Sanchez Elementary School San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center San Francisco Child Care Planning and Advisory Council San Francisco Child Care Providers Association San Francisco Family Support Network San Francisco Food Bank San Francisco Sheriff’s Department Support for Families of Children with Disabilities University of California, Davis, Family Child Care at its Best WestEd, Center for Social-Emotional Foundations in Early Learning WestEd, Program for Infant/Toddler Care Wu Yee Children’s Services
Children’s Council of San Francisco is a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. This report lists supporters from January 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. We strive for accuracy in our listings. Please accept our apologies for any errors and contact our Development Office at 415.276.2968 or development@childrenscouncil.org so we can make the appropriate revisions. Design by Denise Jasper Original photography on pages 4–7 and back cover by Carol Vaziri Edited by Aaron Rosenthal
Children’s Council is grateful to the generous supporters who help us pursue our vision for quality child care and early education for all of San Francisco’s children.
childrenscouncil.org 415.276.2900
Children’s Council of San Francisco 445 Church Street San Francisco, CA 94114