Our Blog

Our blog features information and advice on topics like child development, literacy and pediatric health, as well as feature stories about our staff, programs, and the families and educators whose lives have been impacted by our work.

Celebrating the 2024 Healthy Apple Award Winners 

Children’s Council of San Francisco’s Healthy Apple Program is excited to announce the 2024 Healthy Apple Award recipients.

Healthy Apple recognized 45 child care sites with 69 awards for excellence in child care nutrition and physical activity practices! Even more impactful, these awards reflect healthy practices in place at early education sites serving 625 children.

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Associate Board In Focus: May Huang

The Associate Board In Focus series is centered on hearing from and learning more about members of our Associate Board – a group of emerging leaders who dedicate their time, talents, networks and resources to raise awareness of and advance the mission of Children’s Council of San Francisco. In this video, we hear from May Huang who has served on the Associate Board for five years.

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ECE Equity Leadership Academy

Are you a supervisor or administrator working in early childhood education (ECE)? Apply today to join the ECE Equity Leadership Academy.
Through this new, innovative program, we aim to build upon the leadership in our community and amplify the voices of diverse ECE leaders.

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Supporting Growth and Development: Inclusive Playgroups for Children with Special Needs at Children’s Council of San Francisco

Children’s Council of San Francisco’s Caregiver and Child Developmental Playgroups provide accessibility for children aged birth to three years who have mild to moderate disabilities, learning differences and/or complex medical needs to engage in inclusive, sensory-based, and hands-on learning activities. We actively partner with their caregivers to participate in supporting their children’s growth and development during the playgroups and at home. 

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Staff Spotlight: Alan Wong

Meet Children’s Council’s diverse team in our Staff Spotlight. Alan Wong serves as the Senior Director of Public Policy Communication at Children’s Council of San Francisco. He also serves as an elected member of City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees and served as Board President from 2023 to 2025.

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Are You Caring for a Child in Your Family or Community? Join Our Free FFN Pathway Program! 

Caring for a child—whether it’s your grandchild, niece, nephew, a friend’s child, or a neighbor’s little one—is an incredible gift to both the child and the family. Yet, we know it can sometimes feel like a journey you’re navigating alone. You are not alone. 

At Children’s Council of San Francisco, we recognize the vital role that Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) caregivers play in shaping young lives.

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Associate Board In Focus: Kayley Miller

Children’s Council of San Francisco is excited to introduce a new series focused on members of our Associate Board – a group of emerging leaders who dedicate their time, talents, […]

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Staff Spotlight: Laura Urban

Meet Children’s Council’s diverse team in our Staff Spotlight. Laura Urban, Associate Director of Health & Nutrition, brings over 10 years of experience strategizing and implementing nutrition security and chronic disease prevention programs at the state and local level to Children’s Council of San Francisco.

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Empowering Educators, Transforming Communities

Our Child Care Business Incubator is making a profound impact on the Black community in San Francisco, and the results speak volumes. Through our unwavering commitment to supporting Black and African-American family child care providers, we have fostered a vibrant community of educators dedicated to nurturing the next generation. Our initiatives have led to the establishment of 20 new businesses, empowering 100+ existing micro-entrepreneurs to thrive in their journeys.

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2024 Holiday Resources

Children’s Council has compiled a holiday resource list to connect families to resources like food pantries, hot holiday meals, free clothing, toy drives, and more. Please check all program websites […]

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Staff Spotlight: Elaine Lai

Years at Children’s Council: 4 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  I bring over 30 years of experience in working with both the for-profit and not-for-profit […]

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Staff Spotlight: Maritza Salinas

Years at Children’s Council: 3 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  I provide support, guidance and coaching to three teams at Children’s Council: Community Outreach and Education, […]

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Associate Board In Focus: Corina Dumitrescu

Corina Dumitrescu (she/her) is an architect, wife and mother of two. Since 2011 she has dedicated herself to multi-family housing design, construction, and owner representation. Corina believes in whole communities […]

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Success Story: Protecting Baby Proposition C Funding

About a month ago, Children’s Council of San Francisco, along with the SF ECE Advocacy Coalition and our Early Childhood Education (ECE) community, faced a significant challenge. We learned that City Hall was considering cuts to Baby Proposition C funding, putting about $65 million at risk over the next four years due to the city’s budget crisis. In response, the SF ECE Advocacy Coalition quickly convened to strategize on how to engage the Mayor’s Office and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

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Honoring Legacy Providers of San Francisco 

Juneteenth is not only a time of celebration but also a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice. The commitment of our child care providers embodies the spirit of Juneteenth, as they work tirelessly to uplift and empower the next generation.  

On June 6, we gathered to honor 21 incredible Black and African American child care educators, our Legacy Providers who have dedicated their lives to nurturing and educating the children of San Francisco.

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Staff Spotlight: Ben Doyle

Years at Children’s Council: 2 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  In my role as Chief Programs Officer and member of the executive leadership team, I […]

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Staff Spotlight: Maria Matus

Years at Children’s Council: 16 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  I oversee and assist our Family Services Specialists who provide support to families with their […]

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Welcoming the Year of the Dragon

Lunar New Year is a special holiday to me. Growing up, my core memories of this holiday consist of large family gatherings, preparation leading up to the holiday and going to the temple.

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Elevating Generations of Black Women in Child Care

This Black History Month, we would like to pay homage to Black women in the child care field. Black women in the United States have been the pioneers, trailblazers and sheroes of the child care workforce for centuries.

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Staff Spotlight: Claudia Quinonez

Years at Children’s Council: 15 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  I activate the organization’s strategic plan by bringing leadership together to align, strategize, and maintain […]

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Announcing The 2023 Healthy Apple Award Winners

by Raegan Sales, Healthy Apple Program Coordinator Children’s Council of San Francisco’s Healthy Apple Program is excited to announce the 2023 Healthy Apple Award recipients. We took advantage of a […]

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A Dynamic Duo Builds A Village

Joelle and her mother De’Orsie just love ba​​bies. “I was ten when I realized I wanted to be a teacher,” says Joelle, director of JoJo’s Playhouse, a home-based child care program in the SOMA district. “I love babies so much I wanted to volunteer at the hospital just to hold them,” she says. Since 90% of all brain development occurs before the age of five, the years we spend with nurturing caregivers are critical ones.

The mother-daughter duo opened up their program about five years ago and recently completed the Pipeline for Black Early Childhood Educator Career Development program at Children’s Council — graduating with straight As.

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Staff Spotlight: Margarita Spataro

Years at Children’s Council: 3 years How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council:  I work with individuals who are launching their child care business and help make the process […]

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The Child Care Funding Cliff

On September 30, 2023, $37 billion in federal pandemic-era child care support expired. The child care system was already in a precarious position before the pandemic, with a large percentage of parents unable to find or pay for child care. This loss of federal funding will deepen the problem. 

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Autism Awareness Month

Being the parent of a child with special needs comes with many challenges, but there are resources for families.

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