Celebrating 50 years of service, Children’s Council of San Francisco redoubles its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive organization, enhancing its technological infrastructure, developing innovative programs, and leading in advocacy and community building. Children’s Council of San Francisco continues its mission to ensure every child in San Francisco has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Children’s Council is poised to make transformational changes for the next generation of children and families.

2020: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Children’s Council supported the needs of local families and child care providers. Through Children’s Council services 3,400 children from low-income families and 150 children of essential workers received financial assistance for child care and over 600 early childhood educators received COIVD-19 health and safety trainings. 

2016: Developed the Child Care Finder, an interactive online tool to help parents and caregivers discover high-quality child care in their neighborhood.

2004: Marking a significant milestone, San Francisco voters approved Prop H, Preschool 4 All—a dedicated fund for universal preschool, a pioneering initiative in the U.S., led by the advocacy and groundwork of Children’s Council and others.

1997: Children’s Council’s budget grew to nearly $7 million, with a significant portion allocated to child care subsidies. Leadership’s participation in White House conferences on child care underscored its role in shaping national dialogue on child care challenges.

1996: Children’s Council’s services and advocacy efforts expanded greatly in response to the Welfare to Work reforms. The organization quadrupled in size to address the need for child care subsidies as California rolled out CalWORKs.

1993-1994: The idea for Parent Voices takes root, leading to its founding in 1996. This parent-led advocacy organization became instrumental in driving child care policy changes at the city, state and national levels.

1980s: As child care began to formalize, Children’s Council played a pivotal role in advocating for state legislation and funding, and became one of the country’s first Child Care Resource & Referral agencies. ‘Alternative Payment’ organizations supported families to access financial aid, especially those whose lack of access to child care prevented them from joining the workforce or pursuing education.

1974: In the early 1970s Patty Siegel, future executive director Martha Roditti, and a collective of young moms gathered in Noe Valley to form the San Francisco Child Care Switchboard. The grassroots group provided child care information and referrals to families as women entered the workforce in large numbers following the feminist movement. The seed that would become Children’s Council of San Francisco in 1974 was planted.