CEO Message Dear Friends and Supporters, 2016 marked our 40th anniversary as an incorporated non-profit. In 1976, just six staff shared an office at Van Nuys City Hall operating a child care resource and referral service for working parents in the San Fernando Valley and, shortly thereafter, added a subsidy program for some of those who needed help paying for their child care. Over the years we have grown way beyond our original boundaries, inaugural services, and first office! We now cover the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, and Antelope Valleys in Northern Los Angeles County as well as most of San Bernardino County. We have grown to 900 staff across 35 locations and have added a wide variety of programs and services including preschool for children, home visiting for at risk parents, coaching and support for all types of child care providers, and a robust book giveaway campaign that morphed into a large distribution program of diapers and other items that help young parents. In 2016/17, we advocated for several very important things at the state level which resulted in great improvements for our clients. The state approved paying at 75% of current market rates which means child care providers earn more; updated eligibility for child care financial support to the current state median income so more working parents may qualify; and parents are now able to maintain eligibility on a yearly basis resulting in better children’s stability. We facilitated an in-depth conversation between the child welfare and child care communities which culminated in the adoption of funding for foster parents who need child care. Our Research and Evaluation Department also completed a study with Cal State Northridge (CSUN) on the Family Child Care Community’s Engagement with the Quality Rating Improvement System. (Read the report on our website at www.ccrcca.org.) And, on top of all of that, we celebrated our 40th anniversary with a smashing 1920s style gala honoring Camille Maben, Yoobi, and our own Ed Hill! Turn the page to learn more about why we gave them awards. Even with these successes, our fight for young children, their families, and child care providers continues – especially for those who need additional support to be successful – by educating and informing legislators and community members about the unintended consequences of Transitional Kindergarten, the need to increase access to affordable care especially for infants and toddlers, the importance of quality care for all children regardless of economic situation, and the importance of a mixed delivery system that addresses parent’s nontraditional work schedules. At CCRC, we have a simple mission to cultivate child, family and community well-being but the depth and breadth of our services is complex to say the least. Read through the next 10 pages, get to know us, and then give us a call to find out how you, too, might get involved with this amazing organization. Dr. Michael Olenick, President & CEO 1978 Programs and services expand to the Antelope Valley 2 ccrcca.org