While the Virginia Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) group was filled with stories of positive changes in healthy eating and active play, one story stood out as particularly heartwarming and a testament to collaboration. Valbona (Val) Bytyqi and Ann Marie Ries met at the very first ECELC session in Alexandria, Virginia. Both are… Continue Reading Valbona’s Family Child Care Success
Conway Cradle Care located in Conway, Arkansas, serves adolescent parents who are continuing their high school educations. Childcare is provided to enable teen parents to attend school, as well as a mentoring program to teach these young parents valuable parenting and life skills. Some of the young parents they serve were unfamiliar with choosing and/or… Continue Reading Teaching Adolescent Parents to Cook Healthy
In July 2019, results of the Nemours Children’s Health System’s National Early Care and Education Learning Collaboratives (ECELC) project were published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. The ECELC project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), involved nearly 1,200 child care programs in 10 states. This collaborative is the largest of… Continue Reading ECELC Increases ECE Healthy Practices in 10 States
Maggie Gray, the Director of Brainy Tots Bilingual Preschool in Florissant, Missouri, discovered she and the children in her family child care program were eating the same fruits and vegetables each day. Although they were eating nutritious meals, Maggie felt the menus weren’t adventurous enough. After some reflection, Maggie decided to promote change in her… Continue Reading Purple Carrots at Brainy Tots Preschool
Even though early care and education (ECE) providers in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) were learning about healthy goals, they found it challenging to make connections and build relationships with other providers in their respective areas. Providers felt they had limited time and resources. Through ECELC, providers in Faulkner and Mississippi… Continue Reading How ECE Providers Built Bridges in Arkansas
Little Life Academy located in Conway, Arkansas has been working with children for over 13 years. Most recently, the Director of Little Life Academy, Melissa Gabbard, noticed how unhealthy habits from parents and staff affected the children in her program. Since she was unsure how to promote change in her program, Melissa and staff member… Continue Reading Healthy Living at Little Life Academy
“At Farm School, we not only support the children, but we also support their families,” says the director of Farm School located in Hamilton, Virginia. The teachers at Farm School participated in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) in the fall of 2017. After the first learning session, the staff at Farm… Continue Reading Healthy Habit Challenges at Farm School in Virginia
Mom’s Home Care School Inc., located in Leesburg, Virginia, was thrilled to be part of the National ECE Learning Collaborative in 2016 and continues to practice healthy eating and healthy celebrations to this day. After participating the collaborative, the program changed its policy on celebrations to ensure that all parties serve healthy foods. In addition,… Continue Reading Healthy Festivities at Mom’s Home Care School
Tiffany Gittens, owner of Tiffany’s Lil Bratz in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, participated in the National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) in Fall 2016. After her participation in ECELC, Tiffany’s Lil Bratz has taken big steps to increase water intake and access. “H2O is the Way to Go” was the theme of her center’s campaign.… Continue Reading H2O is the Way to Go at Tiffany’s Lil Bratz
Nira Banez, Director of Our Caring Way in Falls Church, Virginia, jumped in with both feet and switched over to a full family style dining practice in March 2018, just after she received a family style dining kit through her participation in the Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative (ECELC) program. In just two weeks… Continue Reading Eating as a Family at Our Caring Way, Virginia