Without child care, San Francisco doesn’t work
A Message from our CEO Gina Fromer
As I write this message, we sit at the precipice of what is undoubtedly the most important election of our lifetimes.
Whatever the outcome, we will soon be starting a new chapter in our country and in the Bay Area. Some aspects of our lives will be different, but one thing that will not change: Never before have we appreciated more the value of schooling and child care for our children.
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Children need nurturing care, so their brains can develop in all the brilliance we know is possible during the first five years of life. During the pandemic, our city’s early childhood education workforce has stepped up to ensure children are protected and cared for. Now it is time for us to step up for them.
At Children’s Council, our job is to help child care businesses be resilient in the face of extreme instability, so that they can continue to lift up our city’s working families. Without child care, San Francisco doesn’t work.
Last year Winifred Zhou started her home-based business, Wisely Child Care, relying on Children’s Council for support with the licensing process, which can be daunting for new early educators.
When the COVID pandemic hit just a few months later, Winifred knew she could turn to Children’s Council again. She says that the 1-on-1 support and trainings she has received through our Child Care Business Incubator program have been critical for her to adapt her business model and services to new regulations and her families’ needs:
“I operate my business inside my house; this is not just my work space, my family is here too. Having that guidance and all the resources I need to keep the children I care for – and my own family – safe and healthy… Children’s Council has been amazing.”
Parent Mark, whose child attends Wisely Child Care, says, “Winifred creates an incredibly nurturing environment for the kids, and she’s done an excellent job communicating and managing safety during the pandemic. Isabelle is so excited to go to school.”
As the pandemic continues to unfold, early educators like Winifred, as well as the families she serves, are experiencing disruptions that affect their financial, social and emotional well-being.
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Family disruption hits children under five the hardest. And we’ve see a lot of family disruption in San Francisco this year, particularly in lower income communities of color, where many parents have lost their jobs or are struggling to get to work so they can pay bills and feed their children.
Now, as the Bay Area gets back to work, we need to be there for educators like Winifred. Our city’s economic recovery depends on a strong child care system.
Take a look at some of the critical work Children’s Council has accomplished during the pandemic:
Keeping our city’s children safe and supported is at the core of our work… and with this as our guiding principle, Children’s Council’s services and programs are a lifeline for families and early educators under stress.
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We are committed to sustaining and building our city’s child care infrastructure so that every parent can work and their children can thrive, now and in the future. But we can’t do it alone – we need your help to make a difference.
Will you join our fight with a generous year-end gift in support of child care for everyone in San Francisco?
Thank you for supporting Children’s Council as we support those around us during these trying times.
With gratitude,
Gina M. Fromer
CEO, Children’s Council of San Francisco
PS: Did you know that there are special tax savings for 2020 only (due to the CARES Act passed earlier this year by Congress)? You can deduct 100% of your charitable deductions this year if you itemize and up to $300 if you use the standard deduction!
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