Childcare Resources was founded over 37 years ago with the belief that children are our greatest natural resource, and it is imperative that they receive quality care from trained and supported staff to help them reach their full potential. While our agency began modestly as the outgrowth of a child care task force convened in 1984 by the United Way of Central Alabama, Childcare Resources now reaches thousands of children, families, and child care providers across our four-county footprint each year.
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The faces of the families and providers we support are the faces of Central Alabama. From working families juggling the challenges of parenthood to seasoned professionals working in child care facilities and home-based programs — our community is united by the importance of early education and the passion for ensuring our children receive every opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.
Access to affordable, quality child care and early education was a tremendous challenge at our inception in 1984. Childcare Resources has worked diligently to improve both quality of and access to child care in Central Alabama, and continues that hard work today. With your support, we will continue to build a future where our next generation of leaders will prosper.
Thank you for your continued belief in our mission.
Letter from Our Leaders
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JOAN WRIGHT
Executive Director
MICHAEL F. WALKER
2020-2021 Board Chair
To make quality care and education of young children happen by providing information, education, and assistance to families, providers of child care, and the community.
Our Mission
Our Programs
1
Train and support child care professionals, providing a sizable portion of training available in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, and Walker Counties
2
Provide child care financial assistance to low-to-moderate income working families who earn too much to qualify for state subsidy programs
3
Support families who are searching for child care options by providing comprehensive child care information and advocacy resources to ensure families understand the importance of the significant development that occurs in the early years that impacts later success in school and life
4
Promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services.
Training and Technical Assistance
The goal of Training and Technical Assistance is to increase the quality of child care available to children by providing education through training and technical assistance to individuals working in child care or interested in a career in early care and education.
207
training sessions completed
420
training hours completed
86
early care
programs
impacted
82%
of trainings
held virtually
I9
average point increase in post-test scores
Click on the button below to learn more about our our annual child care provider conference.
"We were so fortunate to have Childcare Resources provide our teacher trainings this year. Their presenters were truly knowledgeable and professional. The trainings were informative and interesting, which can be difficult when held virtually.
We are grateful to Childcare Resources for delivering our trainings virtually, allowing our staff to get the required hours needed, but in an environment that made everyone comfortable."
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Preschool Partners
Early Learning Resource Center
The goal of the Early Learning Resource Center (Library and Van) is to reduce the cost of delivering quality child care by providing access to teaching materials and resources free of charge. The Resource Center offers free membership and is open weekdays while the Resource Van travels 10 routes monthly.
Early learning resources available include teacher curriculum books, children's literature, music CD's and DVD's, age-appropriate theme boxes, puppets, storybook kits, Ellison Press die-cuts, lamination services, and one-on-one consultation with a Child Development Consultant.
48
patron visits to the resource library center
35
patron visits to the resource library van
54
child care programs on van routes
I6
providers received curbside drop-off visits
Specialty Programs
RISE PROGRAM
The goal of RISE is to positively impact the quality of child care in our community by assisting providers in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards, achieving measurable improvements, and supporting the pursuit of national accreditation and re-accreditation. In central Alabama, only 5% of centers are nationally accredited.
7
participating centers
60
technical assistance visits
472
consultations to child care programs
2 CENTERS
achieved national re-accreditation
INFANT TODDLER PROGRAM
The goal of the Infant Toddler Program is to increase the quality of child care available to infants and toddlers. The program is designed to assist classrooms in surpassing the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards and to encourage directors to operate their program consistent with best practices as it pertains to teacher-child interactions in a nurturing learning environment.
participating classrooms
I5
technical assistance visits
I02
consultations to child care programs
achieved 80% or more of their quality improvement plan goals
100% OF CLASSROOMS
Financial Assistance
The goal of the Supplemental Child Care Program is to help low-to-moderate income working families maintain employment and achieve self-sufficiently. This program provides financial assistance to families enrolled in the program by paying a portion of child care costs to a legally operating child care provider of their choice.
89
single parent
head-of-household
families
III
children
supported
through SCCP
$35,570
average annual income of enrolled families
23%
after financial assistance
before financial assistance
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I5%
% OF ANNUAL BUDGET SPENT ON CHILD CARE
TOP EMPLOYMENT SECTORS
25% Business/Corporate
24% Medical/Healthcare
18% Retail/Sales
18% Government
"The support of RISE is important to directors because it provides the opportunity to share and discuss the challenges that we all face daily. This program was particularly helpful during the pandemic. We wanted to make sure we were making the right decisions for our program, families, and staff. I believe the support and opportunity to share ideas, collaborate, and encourage each other gave us the strength to get through an exceedingly difficult year."
DIRECTOR
Harris Early Learning Center
$9I,0I9
direct payments to child care providers
"Childcare Resources has helped me tremendously throughout the years. I am solely responsible for my son financially and the program helped me when no one else would. I can go to work and know that my son is cared for and taught in a great facility. My son will be in kindergarten next year and I know he is ready and will be successful. Financial assistance has made everything easier and less stressful for me, and it has been a blessing to not have to worry about affording child care during the pandemic."
SCCP PARTICIPANT
Resource and Referral
Resource and Referral provides free customized child care searches for the community. Each search includes provider profiles to assist the family in locating quality child care as well as parent resources to support the unique needs of each individual family.
380
clients utilized
the program
2I,624
referrals to child care providers
33%
called for a personal consultation
67%
conducted an
online database search
6
average number of referrals provided in each customized search
I00%
indicated the Guide to Choosing and Using Child Care was helpful in their search
"Childcare Resources' Resource and Referral Program is a great program to use when you need assistance! I was new to the Birmingham area and lost hope in finding child care. I was referred by another agency to contact Childcare Resources for help so I made the call and left a message just hoping to get a call back. The coordinator called me back so quickly and was so sweet and genuine as I shared my child care needs with her. I could tell that she loves what she does and has a passion for helping others."
RESOURCE AND REFERRAL PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
Head Start Program
The Head Start and Early Head Start Programs promote a child's development through comprehensive early learning, health, and family well-being services. Childcare Resources Head Start Program operates through a partnership model with local schools, child care programs, and the community.
57%
of children participating received health, hearing, vision, and development screening
60%
of children participating received health, hearing, vision, and development screening
75
head start
children enrolled
72
early head start
children enrolled
ZIP CODES SERVED
IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
35020 • 35022 • 35094 • 35203 • 35205 • 35206 • 35212 • 35217
Agency Financials
REVENUE
EXPENSES
Government Grants
$5,200,076
Contributions
$167,952
United Way of Central Alabama
$562,036
Special Events
$180,653
In-Kind
$106,139
Other Revenue
$2,570
Program Revenue
$112,303
Supplemental Child Care Program
$206,970
Training and Technical Assistance
$708,296
Head Start
$4,684,380
RISE $86,147
Infant Toddler
$85,364
Fundraising
$287,597
Management & General
$300,635
Early Learning Resource Center Library & Van
$70,398
Resource & Referral
$57,578
Click on the video
to take a virtual
tour of our agency featuring images of
our mission in action
prior to 2020.
Creating Brighter Futures
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Chair
Michael F. Walker
​
Vice Chair
Rick A. Morris
​
Secretary
Jennifer Couch
​
Treasurer
Michael Humber
​
Past Chair
Jason Bryant
Members
E. Hayes Arendall
Laura Boyles
John C. Brown
LaQuisha Buggs
Michelle Chambers
Terri Coleman, Ed. S.
Jason Cook
Cynthia D. Copeland
Jenna F. Dorlon
Jessica Everest
K. Christine Fontana
Liz Hyde
Emily Jensen
Stuart Johnson
Scott D. Kellner
Veronica L. Merritt
Kelly Metz
Dr. Ty Moody
Dr. Kristin Powell
Terrica Richardson
Michael "Mike" Rebholz
Jay Snipes
Donna Wages
Nikki Ming-White
Martina Winston
JUNIOR BOARD
President
Beth Lovett​
​
Vice President
Allie Imaghodor​
​
Secretary
Amy Swindle-English
​
Recruitment Chair
Brian Rose​
​
Past President
Lauren Leach
Members
Steven Andrews
Hannah Avery
Wes Bulgarella
Emily Burke
Monique Buxton
Brittany Tedford Byrd
Lindsey Cochran
Mary Coleman Dobbins
Ashley Hanson, MD
Ann Hill
Tiffany Kahlon
Khiari McAlpin
Ashley Jones McGowen
Liza Padilla
Misty Paul
Antjuan Spivey
Jimmy Williams
