How You Can Help CCR | Monetary Gifts| Other Means of Support

"Investing in children is investing in our nation's economic success."
The Partnership for America's Economic Success

According to the Institute for A Competitive Workforce, 2010, "the research is clear. Early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five have great impact on a child's development and build a strong foundation for learning and success later in life. "

INFORMATION FOR THE COMMUNITY

Be an Advocate for Children!

"Legislators and other elected officials look to their constituents for support and direction. You are the very individuals who placed them in elected office and you are the ones who will either return them to office or vote to elect their opponents. Simply stated-your voice matters!" (from VOICES for Alabama's Children Advocacy Toolkit)

Status of Child Care Report

For the past decade Childcare Resources has published the research-based Status of Child Care Report. This report outlines child care trends that affect thousands of families in central Alabama.

Comprehensive Background Checks on Child Care Providers

On September 28, 2011, the Office of Child Care (OCC), Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an Information Memorandum recommending that states conduct comprehensive background checks on all child care providers paid with funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF).

Please contact your Members of Congress to ask them to cosponsor legislation requiring comprehensive background checks that are pending in the Senate and the House.

Contact your Senators to ask them to cosponsor, S. 581, the Child Care Protection Act, (Sen. Burr, R-NC), and contact your Representative to ask him/her to cosponsor H.R. 1726, the Child Care Protection Act (Rep. Ruppersberger, D-MD) and H.R. 1711, the Child Care Criminal Background Check (Rep. Carson, D-IN), by going to NACCRRA's Take Action site. (from NACCRRA's "Captial Connection" report)

2011 KID'S COUNT Data Book

Alabama ranks 48th in the nation for child well-being.

Each year, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT Data Book provides information and data trends on the conditions of children and families in the United States. The 2011 Data Book explores how children and families are faring in the wake of the recession and why it matters to help kids reach their full potential to become part of a robust economy and society. (from the Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT Data Book website)

The National Movement for America's Children

The National Movement for America's Children is a fast-growing grassroots movement of organizations, businesses, leaders and people who believe that the well-being and healthy development of our children is critical to our success as a nation. The major objective of the Movement for America's Children is to awaken a true social justice movement for children and deliver a holistic national strategy to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring and ensure the healthy development of each and every child. Visit Movement for Children to sign the pledge.

The Cost of Child Care

CNN Money recently shared parents’ stories and their struggles with finding and paying for child care in the article “The rising cost of raising a child: Have kids become too expensive?” The piece shows the many challenges that working families face in these challenging economic times.

Early Childhood Development Information

• Investing in Young Children is a Wise Choice
• Ten Simple Things That Can Boost Your Child's Brain Power
• Ages and Stages of Child Development

Contact Your Local Government Representative to Support Children

State and federal policy affects the quality of care and education that children receive. Support children by contacting your government representative by phone, email, fax or traditional mail to tell them where you stand on important issues relating to children. Remember, they represent you and are eager to know what you think.

• Alabama's Governor and State Senators by County
• Alabama House of Representatives by County
• US Congressmen and Senators

Agencies for Advocacy

• VOICES for Alabama's Children is Alabama's leader of child advocacy. Their website contains a comprehensive statewide calendar of events associated with children's issues.
• National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) is our nation's leading voice for child care. It has an Action Network that can send you important updates regarding policies that affect children and families.

Tips for Being an Effective Advocate

• Choose the method that works best for you and your message: personal visit, phone call, mail, or e-mail
• Present a message that is personal, thoughtful and accurate
• Tell the truth
• Make it clear what your priorities on the issue are
• Send a thank you note to the staff and member soon after a meeting
• Allow at least three weeks to receive a response to your effort

Community Education

In collaboration with Alabama Public Television and Talaris Research Institute, Childcare Resources is pleased to offer free, on-site Parenting Counts training workshops for local business and community groups. If you are interested in scheduling a Parenting Counts workshop, contact Beverly Cook at (205) 252-1991, ext. 315.

Sessions

Mini-Workshops (30 minutes)
Baby Cues
Copycats
Parentese
Reading Faces
Stress
Testing 1, 2, 3
Building Words
Valuing Emotions
Tantrums

Full-Length Workshops ( 1 1/2—2 hours )
Communicating
Exploring
Handling Stress

Childcare Resources also provides "Brown Bag Lunch and Learn" Training sessions to local businesses, community groups, and organizations. Our current training topic is Quality Child Care and Early Brain Development. If your organization is interested in a presentation, please call our Family and Community Services Department at 205-252-1991 ext 309.

Newsletter

• The Resource (For previous issues, contact our Communications Department.)
• Annual Report 2009 - 2010

Keep in Touch

If you need to update your information for our records, please contact us.

Monetary Gifts

Your generous contribution to Childcare Resources will help us provide child care information and assistance to families, offer child care financial assistance to low-income working families, conduct training and provide support services for child care professionals and parents, and inform our community about the importance of our children’s first five years.

Childcare Resources subscribes to the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability.

Childcare Resources never shares your personal information with any individuals, companies or organizations outside of this agency. You may contact Childcare Resources to review any personal information that may be collected regarding your contribution by calling (205) 252-1991 ext. 305 or directing email to Joy Godsey.

Childcare Resources Annual Report is available to the community. You may also download our most recent IRS Form 990.

Tax-Exempt Status

Childcare Resources is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your gift is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law and will be promptly acknowledged with an appropriate receipt.

Ways to Give

Your monetary contribution can be mailed to Childcare Resources, 1904 1st Ave. North, Birmingham, AL 35203. You may phone in a credit card donation by calling us at (205) 252-1991 ext. 302.

Other Means of Support

Questions concerning how you can support Childcare Resources with financial resources, an estate gift, or volunteer services, can be directed to Joy Godsey.

We invite you to learn more about others who support our work.

On behalf of the children, families and child care providers that we serve, THANK YOU for your generous support of Childcare Resources.

©2002 - 2009 Childcare Resources