Eat Buffalo Wild Wings® on April 8th! ChildCareGroup Receives 10%

BUFFALO WILD WINGS
4140 Lemmon Ave.
Dallas, TX 75219
click here for directions

Help us kick off the Week of the Young Child with delicious food, and help raise money for ChildCareGroup!

EAT WINGS. RAISE FUNDS. IT PAYS.

On April 8th, Buffalo Wild Wings® will donate 10% of all pre-taxed food sales (less alcohol and promotional discounts) from any Guest that presents this fundraising ticket. (If you forget to print the ticket, be sure to let them know that you’re there to support ChildCareGroup!)

DOWNLOAD FUNDRAISING TICKET

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Thank you for supporting ChildCareGroup and the Week of the Young Child!

Your old stuff can help at-risk children: Schedule a pick-up today!

We’re excited to announce our new donation program! Through a partnership with National Recycling Solutions, ChildCareGroup is able to turn your gently-used items into cash to support our early childhood programs.

Here’s How you Can Help:

Your donation will be picked up (rain or shine) between 9:00 a.m. and dark. You do not need to be home.

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Proceeds from donation sales will support the programs and services offered by ChildCareGroup, which touches the lives of more than 45,000 children each year.

Watch your mailbox for this postcard!
(click image to enlarge)

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Other ways to get involved:
(Collection bins and promotional materials will be provided by NRS)

• Host a donation drive at your office (one-time, monthly, quarterly, annually or for a holiday).
• Bring gently used items to your volunteer projects at ChildCareGroup.
• Host a metal collection bin at your office parking lot year-round.

For more information, please call (214) 905-3550.

Remember ChildCareGroup on North Texas Giving Day: Thursday, September 19

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7:00 a.m. – midnight
Donations of $25+ will be matched.

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National research shows a $7 return on investment
for every $1 spent on quality early childhood education.
Your investment goes further at ChildCareGroup!

The mission of ChildCareGroup is
to promote, deliver and expand
the best early care and education programs
  for children, parents and early childhood professionals.

ChildCareGroup.org

Honoring the Profession 2013

ChildCareGroup and leaders in the early childhood development field came together to recognize Dallas-area early childhood professionals for their extraordinary talents and dedication.

The “Honoring the Profession” awards ceremony and dinner was held Wednesday, May 22nd at the Crowne Plaza Dallas-Market Center. The special evening’s theme was “Teachers Change the Future!” and was sponsored by IBM and Crowne Plaza Dallas-Market Center.

“It is our privilege to honor the individuals who are going above and beyond in the field of early childhood education,” said Tori Mannes, President and CEO of ChildCareGroup. “Each day they invest in our most valuable asset — our children — and together we are equipping the next generation in Dallas for success.”

ChildCareGroup’s Sonya Bemporad Excellence in Child Care Award was presented to Cheryl Middleton-Davis, of Martin Luther King ChildCareGroup Center.

ChildCareGroup’s Sonya Bemporad Excellence in Child Care Award was presented to Shavon Ransom, of Bock ChildCareGroup Center.

ChildCareGroup’s Elaine Krause Award was presented to Marriel Webb, owner/operator of Braswell Child Development Center, Braswell Kids Too, Kids Concepts Child Development Center and Joyful Noise.

ChildCareGroup’s Healthy Start, Healthy Children Award of Excellence was presented to Greenville Avenue Child Development Center, accepted by Raymond Hart.

DAEYC’s Alzenia Hunter Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Karen Trammell, of First Kids Richardson.

DAEYC’s Early Childhood Administrator of the Year Award was presented to Teri Budde, Director of First Kids Richardson.

DAEYC’s Margaret Cone Impact Award was presented to Felicia Bluitt.

DAEYC’s Pat Kennedy Teacher Educator Award was presented to Dr. Deborah Diffily, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Southern Methodist University.

DAEYC’s Early Childhood Trainer of the Year Award was presented to Linda Bardales, of Educational First Steps.

DAEYC’s Wanda Meshack Smith Advocate of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Richard Cinclair, Dean of Social Sciences and Human Services at Eastfield College.

DAEYC’s Academic Scholarship was presented to Myshundre T. Davis.

DAEYC’s Joanie Pieper TAEYC Conference Award was presented to Maria Roman, of Mi Escuelita Preschool.

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Special thanks to our event Sponsors and Partners

Bright Horizons
ChildCareGroup
Child Care Licensing
Dallas AEYC
DCCCD-Eastfield College
Head Start of Greater Dallas
Mi Escuelita Preschool
Parker-Chase Preschool
TAIMH
TAMU-Commerce

ChildCareGroup has a new look!

ChildCareGroup’s mission is to promote, deliver and expand
the best early care and education programs
for children, parents and early childhood professionals.

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As our community’s trusted source for the best early care and education programs for children, parents and early childhood providers, ChildCareGroup sought a new look that would encompass our strong history as well as our vision to lift two generations from poverty through quality early care and education.

We were pleased to be able to work with noted strategic marketing/branding firm MEplusYOU (formerly imc2) to help us bring forth our vision.

The alignment of our logo, mission and tagline exemplifies our belief and vision for our organization.  Our new logo combines the image of a book and an enthusiastic child, to represent an eagerness to learn and emphasizes that a life of achievement starts with early education. Our tagline, “Nurturing the great in every child,” references our belief that children learn best in the context of relationships, and that there is greatness and potential in every child.

Where we’ve been – 112 Years in Early Education
ChildCareGroup was founded at the turn of the century by caring and civic-minded people concerned about the appalling conditions in which many poor children were living.  In 1901, three organizations, the Clara Chaison Free Kindergarten and Training School; the Free Kindergarten Association; and the Dallas Free Kindergarten and Industrial Association joined forces to create what is known today as ChildCareGroup, to provide day care and kindergarten for the children of the women who worked in Dallas’ cotton mills. By 1903, there were a total of 350 children enrolled in the consolidated Dallas Free Kindergarten and Industrial Association programs, with many more on waiting lists.

In 2012, ChildCareGroup touched the lives of nearly 46,000 children, parents, and early childhood providers in Dallas County alone.

We teach young children.

We train early childhood professionals.

We assist families.

Our agency has grown over the years to include comprehensive evidence-based programs and services for children, parents, and early childhood professionals.  We are excited about the future and look forward to sharing our journey with you.

Thank you for your continued support of our mission and programs!

Tori Mannes
CEO/President

ChildCareGroup honors Alliance Data and Najiyyah Crayton at Annual Meeting

ChildCareGroup held its Annual Meeting on January 16, 2013 to recognize people who made a significant impact on our organization in 2012 and to introduce the slate of officers and new Board of Trustees for 2013.

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Special Presentation
Landauer ChildCareGroup Center

 Students from Landauer ChildCareGroup Center perform their favorite songs for guests.

 

Guest Speaker
Todd Williams
Executive Director, Commit!

Todd Williams delivered a powerful message about the importance of working together to improve education in Dallas. The ChildCareGroup Board of Trustees voted unanimously to sign the Partnership Agreement to join Commit!, Dallas County’s education reform initiative.
 

Corporate Volunteer of the Year
Alliance Data

Tori Mannes, CCG President; Becky Dunn, Anderson ChildCareGroup Center; Aimee Fisher, Alliance Data; and Don Shipman, 2012 Board Chair

 

Individual Volunteer of the Year
Najiyyah Crayton

Tori Mannes, CCG President; Vanessa Maxey, Bock ChildCareGroup Center; Najiyyah Crayton; and Don Shipman, 2012 Board Chair

 

Introduction of the 2013 Board Chair
Dotti Reeder

Don Shipman, 2012 Board Chair, passes the gavel to 2013 Board Chair Dotti Reeder of JP Morgan Securities.

 

Outgoing Trustees
Todd Bright, Tyrone James, Patricia Delgadillo

Introduction of 2013 New Trustees
Matt Coscia, Rick Ligon, Aaron Miller, Leigh Mundinger, Sharon Popham, Kirstine Rogers

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 On behalf of everyone at ChildCareGroup, thank you to our community volunteers and supporters. We could not deliver our early care and school readiness education programs without you!

www.childcaregroup.org

Happy #GivingTuesday! Turn your gifts into investments at ChildCareGroup.

 

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. (Black Friday and Cyber Monday) …Now we have a day for giving back!

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DONATE NOW!

By giving to ChildCareGroup, you invest in the future of our city.

ChildCareGroup positively impacts two generations of the same family, by offering quality early childhood education to children of low-income, working parents.

We help the parents break the cycle of poverty in their family by giving them the opportunity to seek employment while their children spend several hours a day in an enriching, active environment. In addition, we significantly impact the children by providing a safe, nurturing, educational and therapeutic setting that helps transform their future.

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DONATE NOW!

 #GivingTuesday™ is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CHILDCAREGROUP!

Donate a toy to ChildCareGroup and be entered to win FREE treatments at National Laser Institute Medical Spa!

 

National Laser Institute Medical Spa is teaming up with ChildCareGroup to make this holiday season special for nearly 600 DFW children!

From now until December 10th, you can drop off a new, unwrapped toy (for ages 0 to 5) at National Laser Institute. These toys will be delivered directly to ChildCareGroup, where they will be given as holiday presents to children in our program. When you donate a toy, your name will be entered into a raffle to receive a one of 5 FREE laser treatments at National Laser Institute Medical Spa. Happy Holidays!

http://www.NLIonline.com
1-800-982-6817

National Laser Institute – Medical Spa
3850 West Northwest Highway, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75220

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Want to get your company involved? Find out how you can host a holiday toy drive at your office. Contact Lori Carey, lcarey@ccgroup.org.

Three Core Concepts in Early Development, by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Thank you to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University for developing this outstanding three-part video series, which depicts how advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give us a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or for worse.

Healthy development in the early years provides the building blocks for educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation. 

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1. Experiences Build Brain Architecture
(by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University)

“The basic architecture of the brain is constructed through a process that begins early in life and continues into adulthood.”

2. Serve & Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry
(by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University)

“One of the most essential experiences in shaping the architecture of the developing brain is “serve and return” interaction between children and significant adults in their lives.”

3. Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development
(by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University)

“Without caring adults to buffer children, the unrelenting stress caused by extreme poverty, neglect, abuse, or severe maternal depression can weaken the architecture of the developing brain, with long-term consequences for learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health.”

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How ChildCareGroup Addresses these Early Development Needs:

Our early care and school readiness education programs at ChildCareGroup emphasize the importance of early learning. CCG classrooms operate at a lower teacher/student ratio to ensure that each child gets adequate interaction time. While in our classrooms, children remain with a constant caregiver up to three years, to develop a healthy relationship between the child, caregiver and parent. Volunteers also assist with cognitive and socialization skills, by reading to children and helping with educational activities in the classroom.

In addition, we work with parents to become highly involved partners in their child’s education. Our early literacy programs encourage parents to read with their children at home and assist their children with science projects and other early learning opportunities to develop their growing brains.

Junior League of Dallas at UMC ChildCareGroup Center

Teachers and staff at our UMC early care and school readiness education center were delightfully surprised when they arrived at work this morning! Over the weekend, their Center was cleaned, decorated, and furnished with new learning activities thanks to 28 volunteers from the Junior League of Dallas.

Volunteers focused on four projects:

1. Decorating the hallway/reading corner
2. Updating the teacher break room
3. Creating a new private area for nursing mothers
4. Making new learning activities for our children

We are thrilled with the finished product! The following is a note from Eugenia Garvin, UMC Center Manager:

To all the ladies at the Junior League of Dallas:

I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you.  You all came into our center and made such a difference to our staff, children and families.

The teacher’s break room and nursing area are both projects that were put on the back burner for many years, and we would not have these additions to our center without your kind hearts and dedication. The teacher’s break room has really brightened up their day! Everyone made a point to come sit in their special area and praise what a GREAT job you all did. 

It gave me such pleasure to go into the classrooms and see the teachers interacting with the children using their new games and toys, and our new decorations in the hall and reading area make our Center very welcoming.  I cannot say THANK YOU enough for all you have done!

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HALLWAY/READING CORNER

Before:

After:

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TEACHER BREAK ROOM

Before:

After:

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PRIVATE AREA FOR NURSING MOTHERS

After:

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LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Click here to watch video!

Click here to watch video!

Special thanks to our friends at Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Both stores generously donated supplies for this project.

THANK YOU JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS!