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Explore the impact your gift can make for children in Indian River County. YOUR GIFT EMPOWERS Ways to Give Make a Gift The need is great. If you could improve the future chances of a child to graduate from high school, or to hold a well-paying job, or to be mentally and physically healthy, which would you choose? What if you could choose all three? Investing in high-quality early education impacts the entirety of a child’s life, improving outcomes in physical health, education, social-emotional health, and employment. 1 Unfortunately, high-quality childcare is not accessible to all. In the state of Florida, it costs more to enroll an infant in childcare than to enroll a student in college. 2 Not all childcare is considered to be high-quality, either. Fewer than 300 childcare centers in Florida, roughly 7%, are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which promotes best practices in early education . 3 Between the high cost and low availability, it is unsurprising that up to 55% of children from economically challenged families do not attend a pre-kindergarten program. 4 Children from these families often enter kindergarten up to one full year behind their peers . 5 66% children in the state of Florida have all available parents in the workforce 3 $8,694 the annual cost of infant care in the state of Florida 3 50% children from economically challenged families that are not 'kindergarten-ready' 6 The challenge is ours. Childcare Resources works for families, subsidizing the cost of high-quality care for children in Indian River County. Care is provided at the Childcare Resources School and at four privately-owned childcare centers. All five schools are nationally accredited through NAEYC. Program parents are required to work or be enrolled in school, to be engaged in their child’s education, and to pay a small percentage of their child’s tuition. Program families also have access to a wide range of support services including educational opportunities, mental health referrals, and physical, speech, and occupational therapies. Childcare Resources works for educators, too. Local early childhood professionals are able to attend one-day workshops highlighting best practices, obtain a Florida Child Care Professional Credential or Director’s Credential, work with a coach on a one-on-one basis, and participate in networking and training opportunities. 85 ¢ of every dollar contributed supports programming 160 children provided with high-quality care in 2020-2021 216 number of local early educators that participated in outreach programs in 2020-2021 2,351 number of children potentially impacted by Childcare Resources programs in 2020-2021 We have one chance to get this right. In the first five years, a child’s brain develops rapidly, connecting as many as 1,000,000 neurons every second. 7 This period of growth is a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop social-emotional and academic skills that can last the rest of a child’s life. "My daughter is going to be amazing because of the system Childcare Resources has in place" -Program Parent, 2018 Your support of Childcare Resources helps build a community engaged in early childhood education; Where parents are able to pursue professional and educational opportunities; Where educators are well-trained and highly valued; Where the workforce is stable; And where all children, regardless of income or adversity, have the opportunity to thrive. You have the ability to improve a child’s future by investing today. Childcare Resources handles all contributions with integrity, ensuring that each gift is used as designated in a cost-effective manner to create the greatest impact. Make A Gift Ways to Give References “Research Summary: The Lifecycle Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program.” The Heckman Equation, 8 Feb. 2017, https://heckmanequation.org/resource/research-summary-lifecycle-benefits-influential-early-childhood-program “In 23 States, It Costs More to Send Your Child to Daycare than College.” Business Insider, 11 Apr. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/daycare-more-expensive-than-college-2016-4 “Early Childhood Education Fact Sheet: Florida.” America For Early Ed, NAEYC, americaforearlyed.org/resources/state-fact-sheets “How Much Is Too Much? The Influence of Preschool Centers on Children’s Social and Cognitive Development.” National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. “The Current State of Knowledge on Pre-Kindergarten Effects.” Brookings, Duke Center for Child and Family Policy, 2017. “The Time Is Now: Investing Early in Our Children’s Future.” Joan Ganz Cooney Center, joanganzcooneycenter.org/2018/11/26/the-time-is-now-investing-early-in-our-childrens-future “Brain Architecture.” Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/ References

Transcripts of videos hosted on the History page of the Childcare Resources website Video Transcripts Starfest 2026 Shannon McGuire Bowman Hi, I'm Shannon. I'm the Executive Director of Childcare Resources, and I'm delighted to welcome you here to our model childcare center. Over the last 30 years, we have curated a very special program, and we refer to it often as 3 programs in 1. Our first program is the school, which is nationally accredited through NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Less than 7% of the childcare centers in our country have this designation. We serve a population in our community that struggle economically. They're often referred to as the ALICE population—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. And we also serve 20 children who are currently experiencing homelessness. Our second program makes us very unique. It's our Wellness and Early Intervention program, and this department does a whole lot of things for our families, but most importantly ensures the children who need crucial early intervention services are receiving those services and receiving them here on our campus. Our third program is our outreach program, and it's really how we are supporting the early education sector as a whole here in Indian River County with a multitude of professional learning opportunities. So, I'm so excited you're going to have the opportunity to meet one of our teachers, one of our parents, a student, and a therapist in our program so you can better understand how important our work is and how important your role is in making it all possible. So, let's head down to Miss Marilyn's classroom so you can meet our student Bailey. Marilyn Brock, Bailey's teacher Bailey is a lovely little girl, and when she came to us, she was very shy. Giorgia, Bailey's mom When she first came here, it was a little bit of an adjustment period for her. She has time with transitioning, but we quickly had resources given to us by the school that really helped Bailey acclimate well. Marilyn Brock, Bailey's teacher Professional development at Child Care Resources has helped me implement different strategies in the classroom. Bailey has greatly benefited from Conscious Discipline and the rituals and the visual schedule. Getting down on her level and building a trust relationship has helped her in connecting with adult and child conversation. Giorgia, Bailey's mom Miss Marilyn is amazing. You can tell she's been doing this a really long time. So not only did she help Bailey, but she helped me and my husband kind of like relax a little bit. She would reassure us as well. She always told us, you know, progress and how she's doing in the class. If there's anything we need to work on at home, she was really open with the communication. And then with Bailey, you can just tell she's so patient with her, really takes her time. She gets down on her level, talks one-to-one with her, and Bailey talks about Miss Marilyn all the time at home. Even on the weekends, she'll ask what Miss Marilyn is doing, and I'm like, she's probably at home relaxing. And she's like, well, can we go see her? I'm like, not today. Anne Gabor So when Bailey came to see us at Child Care Resources, it was pretty seamless. I started talking with the teacher, talked with our administrator through the Wellness and Early Intervention program, and before she even came into our door, we could have a plan for her. As soon as she came in the door, I was in the classroom myself and my other coach, um, watching Bailey, talking to her teacher, providing suggestions and recommendations and deciding what would help the classroom as a whole. Thankfully, Ms. Marilyn is very, very skilled and has a ton of experience and is great with all of her students, including Bailey, and she already kind of knew what she needed in her classroom, so we were able to support her with that. So, for Bailey, that looked like taking her out of the classroom and working with her on some of the skills she needed to be successful in the classroom and at home, with the purpose really being beyond our doors. So, we really wanted Bailey to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. It also involved us meeting with the parents here and giving them skills and tools and tips to help them at home with Bailey and with her sister. Giorgia, Bailey's mom So, Anne has, um, helped Bailey and us, me and my husband as parents. She'll give us some coaching on how to help Bailey at home and that transfers into school, and hopefully it'll also transfer into kindergarten when she starts. But she's given us techniques to help calm Bailey down, to help her with transitions, and Anne's really always been there if we needed her. We could call her or text her. I know where her office is. She's always been very open to helping us with Bailey. Anne Gabor One thing I've really loved about working at Childcare Resources is really the capacity to collaborate. So, I've never been part of a team where we have the administration, we have the parents and teachers and other therapists just so readily available, and it really sets the stage for effective intervention services to help everybody meet the student where they are and to help them succeed long-term in the future. Giorgia, Bailey's mom Childcare Resources is a really special place to us and our family. We really appreciate having both of our kids here. It's been night and day, and I don't know what we would do without this school. Shannon McGuire Bowman And if you were going to tell somebody why they should come see the school, why should they come see the school? Bailey Because, because my friends just come there. Yeah, it's a good place. Shannon McGuire Bowman All right, well, we would love for you to come take a tour, meet Bailey and her friends, and see our mission in action that you make possible. Starfest 2023 Dr. Helen Johnson, Board member I have lived here for almost 20 years and I knew about Childcare Resources really, sort of, from the get-go, but I did not begin to appreciate the scope and scale and quality of the work that this organization does. It is, it is amazing. It's not just the children who are here on this campus or the children who are in our partner facilities. It is the work we're doing with the other educators in this community who come here for workshops and for continuing learning. Katy Healy, former Board member When you walk into a classroom and you see the smiling faces and you see these children who come together and spend a lot of their time together here at this school, you can see why this organization is so important. Brian Barefoot, community stakeholder The kids that come from Childcare Resources into kindergarten are well ahead of most of the other kids. And so it's pretty obvious that whatever goes on in this building is having a major impact on these children. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director We have been continually asking the question, how can we do early education better in this community? So that means looking at the decades of research and brain science that very clearly demonstrate what a child needs in order to develop optimally. And then reimagining, re-envisioning what early education could be. So taking that framework of knowledge and then taking a look at what's happening here in our community and finding ways to slowly bring these two things together. Tracy Sorzano, Board member I think the most important work we do is directly with our children and families. You know, from birth to age five, it's such a crucial time for development. Early childhood education and high-quality early childhood education is critical to make sure that children have an equal chance to grow and thrive in life. And what we do here is to really help support that, provide the foundation and the underpinnings of that growth and development, and provide a wonderful safe space for children to learn and thrive. Wanda Lincoln, community stakeholder It isn't just creating an environment so kids are kindergarten-ready. It's creating a heart for them that they're capable. That's the most important thing because you can do anything if you think you're capable. My hope is that they stay inspired. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director My hope is that more children and families in our community can access high quality early education programs. Jim Beindorf, Board chair My hope is we can continue to impact as many kids as possible because at the end of the day, that's what's going to impact the future. They're going to be down the road where you have to lean on them some way or another. In these informative years, laying that foundation is extremely important, so my hope is we continue to do that. Again, we just keep finding those kids and those opportunities and not let them slip behind. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director We're always researching best practice and what's out there and trying to bring the very best to the children of this community. And we're only able to do that with so many people in the community investing in what we do. So we are so grateful for all of our donors, our volunteers, our Board of Directors for giving their time and talent and investing in this work and this very important, very serious work here in our community. Classroom students We wish you well. We wish you well. All through the day today, we wish you well. All through the day today, we wish you well. Starfest 2026 Starfest 2023 Starfest 2021 Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director Over the last decade, Childcare Resources has experienced tremendous growth in order to help better serve children and families, but also to better serve the early childhood education community at large here in Indian River County. When we opened our doors in 1994, we served 25 children. Today, our childcare program is serving 157 children. And through our outreach programming, Childcare Resources is impacting more than 3,000 young children. The pandemic has taught us how resilient our staff, parents, and children can be. To say that 2020 was a tough year would be an understatement, but we will take the lessons learned, the challenges we faced, and use these experiences to shape 2021 and beyond. In the fall of 2019, our Board of Directors approved a new three-year strategic plan to continue and strengthen our work. Three priority areas were determined, focused on improving the lives of those we serve. The three priority areas are mental health, program expansion, and community awareness. During this past year, we found much of this work more relevant than ever. Today, you will see a glimpse of how our programming is impacting the community through stories told by two board members, a teacher, a parent, and a physical therapist. You will also hear from a few of our former Starfest speakers about their experience learning about our program. We look forward to when we can safely gather together, and until then, please know that we continue our work. We know that providing high-quality early education is more important than ever before. Thank you for making this work possible. Karla Spooner, member, Board of Directors I've been involved with Childcare Resources for over 10 years now. I was first attracted by the children. Let's face it, I was a grandchild-less woman, and here were all these beautiful children who were being given the brighter future their parents wanted for them. At the same time, Childcare was a small preschool in leased space. Under the direction of Shannon McGuire Bowman, a capital campaign was undertaken, resulting in a new state-of-the-art school with room for additional children. At the same time, the faculty was being certified by NAEYC, the highest level of preschool certification. So much of this was made possible by the fabulous leadership of Shannon, but also through the help of all of you. Your financial support and enthusiasm for Childcare allowed the capital campaign to be completed successfully and provided the resources for the staff to start considering how to help the hundreds of preschool children in the county who aren't fortunate enough to attend our school. Elizabeth Huntley, Starfest 2018 Speaker Hello, my name is Liz Huntley, and I am an attorney and a child advocate, and author of More Than A Bird. I'm particularly proud of everything that Childcare Resources has accomplished, from its NAEYC certification to the credentialing that's provided through its local partnership with this community college. And most incredible, the expansion of its campus to provide additional classroom settings for children from homeless families. It's an incredible program. It's quite a hub of the importance of high-quality early childhood intervention. I know a little bit about that because I was one of those children. I was a child born of drug-dealing parents in poverty. Mother committed suicide, dad in and out of jail. But it was the intervention of an early childhood program that God used to save my life and to help shape me into who I am today, and is why I so adamantly go across this country to support programs like Childcare Resources. It is truly a game changer. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors As a retired Minnesota Elementary Principal with 40 years of educational experience, I share with you that I have seen a lot of quality education, and I am passionate about the level of care that Childcare Resources provides children and families here in Indian River County. The teachers and staff are trained in the brain science of early learning, and they recognize the great value of building connections through actions, words, play, and building relationships between child to child and child to adult. When you see the miracle of a brand-new baby that is only minutes old making eye contact with its mother and then attempting to imitate the facial gestures of its mother, you understand that a child begins to learn at birth. Our teachers here at Childcare Resources are providing not only learning opportunities for the child's brain to grow and build those synaptic connections, but they also find those important teachable moments that appear in everyday curriculum activities that lets you know the child's curious mind is ready for more input. Emily Wilcox, program parent My name is Emily Wilcox, and my daughter, Winnie Wilcox, has attended Childcare Resources for three years. When I started looking for childcare options, I was really looking for somewhere that worked with my schedule, and I wanted somewhere that was going to be reliable and consistent, as well as somewhere that really advocated for my child's education and her health. When I started looking for a program and was told about Childcare Resources, all my prayers were answered, and I was so excited to learn that my daughter was accepted into Childcare Resources. Having my daughter attend Childcare Resources has really benefited me, both individually and professionally. Being a single mom, I think of Childcare Resources as my better half, and it's been a huge help knowing that they're always going to be there for me. The staff are always checking in and making sure I have everything that I need for myself and for my daughter. It has helped me professionally since I have been working and was able to advance in my career. And since Winnie has been at Childcare Resources, I have received promotions and grown professionally. And just knowing that I have her taken care of and don't have to worry about her education and what she's going to be doing while I'm at work has really been something that gives me peace of mind. I know that she has just such a great family at her school that really helps her educationally and advocates for me and for her. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors It doesn't stop there. Outreach. Childcare Resources is the hub for teacher training in Indian River County. World class presenters and trainers are brought in to full-day Saturday sessions with the financial help of local grants. Teachers across our county receive best practice in teaching and learning techniques, which in turn improves the quality of childcare at all of the participating preschool centers. Childcare Resources coaches follow up with the teachers at the different centers to build upon their learning and help them to polish their teaching techniques. Because of an Impact 100 grant, a cooperative program with Indian River State College and Childcare Resources was born. Teachers that do not have the preschool certification can join a cohort and complete the appropriate classes necessary for certification. And now, preschool directors also have the opportunity to earn their director's certification with this collaboration. And it's the hope that Childcare Resources can extend the education opportunity to an AA degree and on for these teachers. It is truly amazing and remarkable to know what takes place here at Childcare Resources. And now, through the Homeless Foundation of Indian River County grant, additional children with high needs are welcome to our school. Sadie Collet, Childcare Resources educator I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor's degree in Child and Family Studies. I've been working in early education for about four and a half years now. I've been working as a teacher in early education centers for about two and a half years. Childcare Resources offers professional development for all the early educators in our community. They provide four a year. These seminars help me bring new resources into the classroom, to help my children develop across the board, from cognitive to social emotional development. My favorite professional development opportunity was probably our Conscious Discipline seminar. It was really fun, really engaging. And the Childcare Resources School utilizes the Conscious Discipline curriculum, and myself being relatively new to that curriculum, it was a great opportunity for me to learn more on how to better support my children through Conscious Discipline. I love having the resources of education coaches here at Childcare Resources. They do a lot of modeling on best practices when interacting with children, and I'm really able to take in the way they interact and find the best way for me to use those strategies when I'm working with the children. They also provide resources for us, be it materials or information specific to the needs of my classroom. I've been able to take advantage of a pilot program here at Childcare Resources and I have started to work towards my Master's degree in early educational Leadership. I'm really excited about this opportunity. It's a big professional goal for me. Everything that I'm able to take advantage of, the awesome programs here at Childcare Resources helped me in the classroom in countless ways. I'm able to go out and learn more about best practice, which is always changing, and I'm able to bring these strategies and activities back into the classroom to meet them at the level of their developmental needs. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors This school provides a whole child learning education. When it was recognized that some of the children needed additional physical, emotional, social therapy and that the parents weren't often able to take their child to outside school therapy sessions, Childcare Resources brought the therapist to the school. Children could get the additional learning they needed. During the school day, teachers were given specific techniques to use in the classroom and parents were given ideas to use at home. Because parents are involved in their child's learning, they are better prepared to navigate public school when their child begins kindergarten. Success comes full circle when everyone works together for the betterment of the child. Livya Barreirinhas, MSPT (Pediatric Physical Therapist) I've been here at Childcare Resources for about eight years and the program always caught my attention. I've been a healthcare professional, physical therapist for about 18 years now. And there was always something unique coming from the teachers to the patient care coordinator to everything they had to offer here. It was truly a place that I loved coming to and working with the kids. It's almost that dream come true for a healthcare professional. Here at Child Care Resources, we really, truly have an interdisciplinary program. It starts with the teachers. We're always in the classroom. We're always talking about normal development. They come and they talk to us. "Oh, that child. Do you think they might need physical therapy or do you think they're age appropriate for their age and their motor skills?" And from there, we start our screening process. We have a child coordinator here. She calls the parents, asks the parents if they have any concerns, and that the healthcare professional did see something that brought to their attention that there could be a potential developmental delay. They need services. We have everything we need to provide that services right here. We have our gym, we have all of our equipment, which you don't find anyplace else. Calyx, in my mindset, and I think I speak for a lot of us here, is really our star child. Calyx really had a rough start and, you know, our hearts were broken for him. But Calyx wasn't even walking at 14 months old. He wasn't even crawling at 14 months old. He was scooting on his bottom at 14 months old. And he didn't really have any developmental skills at that point. But I think we all saw something in him that if he had the right tools, he would really flourish. And that's exactly what happened. Calyx has been in the program for about a year now. He is running all over the place. He is going upstairs. So what we see here truly makes a difference. Dr. Bertice Berry, Starfest 2019 speaker It's Dr. Bertice Berry, and I just want to tell you thank you for all that you're doing with Childcare Resources. Several years ago, I got to meet the amazing people and the amazing work that they do, and it truly changed my life. Even though I don't live in that community, it has affected every way I think about children and essential workers and the children of those essential workers, the way they teach and lead and guide is second to none. I brought home a lot of that. Here's my little star, Elena, my granddaughter, who now I use those same principles and guiding lights and information and ideas to make sure that she is okay. When our children are okay, our community is okay. And when the children of our essential workers are okay, the world is a better place. This little light of mine? I'm gonna let it shine? You gonna sing? Go ahead. This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine? This little light of mine? Come on, star. Elena I'm gonna let it shine? Dr. Bertice Berry, Starfest 2019 speaker Let it shine, let it shine? Let it jazz hands shine. I love you. Thank you. Elena Hello. Emily Wilcox, program parent We have participated in a lot of after school activities with childcare resources together as well as myself. I've done the parent cafe, which helps me learn some tools that I could bring home that benefit her growth and development. The parent cafe brings other parents together and helps us learn different things with our child's education as well as with different tools that we can utilize with budgeting and managing time. And it has really been helpful being part of that and also just feeling connected to the school and to the parents and the staff. Since my daughter has been at Childcare Resources, the staff has been so helpful being a single mom and reaching out and making sure that I have all the tools and support that I need and advocated for me and have helped me, you know, seek counseling and referrals with the Mental Health Association to make sure that I have all the things that I need. Being a single mom is very difficult, sometimes, and it's just been very helpful. But I just feel really confident knowing that she's in a place that is safe and really cares about her health and her education. And I honestly think that I don't know what I would do without Childcare Resources. Dr. Becky Bailey, Starfest 2020 speaker Hi everyone. I want to again just honor what you do down there. Often we think TMI means too much information. But this little kid the other day got so upset when he raised his hand and a little girl answered for him. He went, “TMI! TMI!” And the teacher wisely said, “What do you think TMI means?” And he said, “Took my idea!” And your idea of how you collaborate within your communities and how you support every child in your neighborhood, in your area, in your county is such a model for the world that I hope whole world TMI - takes that idea - and runs with it. Thanks again for all you do. Susan Donovan, member, Board of Directors I've only begun to scratch the surface of the great value this center plays in the daily lives of so many children in our great county. Grateful thanks to the many donors that make this possible. I personally believe that what takes place here should be a model for preschool centers across our great country. Karla Spooner, member, Board of Directors My 10-year enthusiasm has been sustained and nourished by several things. As a friend of mine said recently, “Of all the children's organizations in the county, I like Childcare Resources the best. They always do everything right.” And now they are taking their expertise outside of our classrooms into schools in the county through teacher coaches and teacher training. With their dedication for providing the best education possible. In a short time, there will hardly be a child in our county whose life isn't impacted by Childcare Resources. Students My name's Rashad and I'm five years old and I want to be a policeman. My name is Zachary and I'm five years old and I would like to be an engineer. My name is Samita. I'm five years old and I would like to be a nurse. My name's Bella I'm four years old and I want to be a ballerina. My name is Joseph. I want to be artist. My name is Nolan. I'm five years old and I would like to be a fireman. My name is Maddox. I'm five years old and I would like to be a lifeguard. Students [chanting together] Our hands say, "thank you" with a clap-clap-clap. Our feet say, 'thank you' with a tap-tap-tap. Our hearts say, 'thank you' with a beat-beat-beat. Clap-clap-clap, tap-tap-tap, beat-beat-beat. I love you. Calix's Story Livya Barreirinhas, MSPT (Pediatric Physical Therapist) I've been here at Childcare Resources for about eight years, and the program always caught my attention. I've been a healthcare professional, physical therapist for about 18 years now. And there was always something unique coming from the teachers to the patient care coordinator to everything they had to offer here. It was truly a place that I loved coming to and working with the kids. It's almost that dream come true for a healthcare professional. Here at Childcare Resources, we really, truly have an interdisciplinary program. It starts with the teachers. We are always in the classroom. We are always talking about normal development. They come and they talk to us. ‘Oh, that child. Do you think they might need physical therapy or do you think they're age appropriate for their age and their motor skills?’ And from there, we start our screening process. We have a child coordinator here to call the parents, ask the parents if they have any concerns and that the healthcare professional did see something that brought to their attention that there could be a potential developmental delay. They need services. We have everything we need to provide that services right here. We have our gym. We have all of our equipment, which you don't find anyplace else. Calix, in my mindset, and I think I speak for a lot of us here, is really our star child. Calix really had a rough start, and our hearts were broken for him. But Calix wasn't even walking at 14 months old. He wasn't even crawling at 14 months old. He was scooting on his bottom at 14 months old. And he didn't really have any developmental skills at that point. But we, I think, we all saw something in him that if he had the right tools, he would really flourish. And that's exactly what happened. Calix has been in the program for about a year now. He is running all over the place. He is going upstairs. So what we see here truly makes a difference. Calix's Story 25th Anniversary Video Transcript Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: For 25 years Childcare Resources has been changing the lives of children and families in our community. The organization is built upon a very strong foundation and that foundation starts with our three founders. They were early childhood educators themselves so they deeply understood what children and parents need in order to prepare a child, not only for kindergarten but for life. Kathy Marshall, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: From 1988 to 2001, I was the Pre-K Coordinator for the early intervention program which was a school district program. This was a pre-k program that was designed for the free lunch students in the school district. One of the things that became very apparent to me as I would register children for this program, was the fact that many of them were overqualified. I had these conversations with Sandy Kahle and Sherry Waddell and together I think we pretty much determined that there was this whole segment of the population that needed services and couldn't get them. These families weren't well off and therefore they couldn't, they couldn't afford a quality program for their children even though they were working. Sandy Kahle, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: We did a draft of a program that we thought would be helpful and we presented it first to the County Commission and then we presented it to the school board. Developing the mission of Childcare Resources was really one of the very easiest things because the words and the philosophy of it were right there in the NAEYC, National Association for Education of Young Children, literature and we had three centers: Community Preschool, Learning Nest, and Maitland Farm Preschool, and later we added Nanny's. By the fall of '94, we hired a Family Resource Coordinator. She worked with families. She helped them with housing issues, with mental health issues, education, with work issues. She was a wonderful support to the families which, then in turn, gave support to the children. And so it all came together with the children in the middle, family support on the one hand and center support, in terms of training, on the other. And the basis of it all was the community. Sherry Waddell, Founding Member, Childcare Resources of Indian River: One of the main missions of Childcare Resources was to have quality preschool, and we felt the best way to provide for that quality was for our schools to be accredited with national accreditation, which was NAEYC. So that was one of the standards that we required of our preschools and contracting centers. The priorities of those that I felt were very important were teacher-child ratio, parent involvement, the curriculum provided through accreditation, so that was a priority of any of the contracting centers, that they would have to, within a certain period of time, get their accreditation through NAEYC. Childcare Resources today is providing for our teachers throughout the county three and four workshops annually. Some of the training has been in STEM, math, fine motor and Conscious Discipline. The exciting thing in the present, 25 years later, is that these standards are still being met. The teacher training, parent involvement. We have opened our own school. I have to say to have been in the beginning of it; It is so exciting and just a wonderful thing to know that we are providing this need in our County. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: Over the years, there have been multiple individuals who have served as a member of our Board of Directors. Their work, vision, and investment in Childcare Resources inspires those of us who are currently working or volunteering on behalf of the mission. The human brain Is built over time and from the bottom up. This process begins before birth and goes well into adulthood. This is why quality early childhood education is so important. Sabrina Reese, 2006 Program Parent: I always wanted to have my child to be somewhere where they could get a good start and I know how important that is. I found Childcare Resources through the United Way. Everyone was very, very helpful, helping us get into the program where normally, someone being a working parent like I was, never really qualified for assistance or anything like that. So that was very instrumental for me being able to get her in there and get that good start. The most important thing was the, the teachers that were in place at Community Preschool when she was there. They were caring, and, and they were knowledgeable, and they connected with the children. Jayla made connections with her preschool teachers that she still remembers today. When she entered into kindergarten, she was more than prepared. Jayla Brown, Former Student: I go to Oslo Middle. I play for Oslo Middle basketball team. Right now, my favorite subject is math. I want to join the Navy SEAL program. Sabrina Reese, 2006 Program Parent: Having, getting comfort knowing that there are well-rounded organizations that are out there to help young kids, you know, get a start, so that they can learn to love education, to love learning. You know, to make it to where it's not a chore. Coming in here today, has just pumped that up in me and, oh man, look at all this stuff that these young kids can learn and go and grow and I love it. Tom Patrick, 1994 Program Parent: Early '90s, at that time I was a single father, uh, had no clue what I was doing, and Dominic and I needed help. Childcare Resources provided me with the foundation that I needed to know that I could, I could do this. Childcare Resources was there for emotional support, financial support, and directed me in a perfect direction, so I could try to parent as to the best of my ability at such a young age. Childcare Resources gave me what I call the foundation for me to be able to succeed and for my child, most importantly, to succeed and grow up and become a, uh, a phenomenal human being. He flourished at Nanny's. He became more self-confident at Nanny's. He became more social-interactive. Life lessons for him as he started to figure it out in his formative years, which gave me peace of mind and gave me even more confidence. And all you want is for your child to have a chance at a good life. He is now 26 years old. He graduated from college over two years ago, head of marketing at Tropic Ocean Airways, which is a seaplane company in Fort Lauderdale. I couldn't have asked for a better child. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River: In our first year of service, Childcare Resources reached 24 children throughout our community. Today, we're reaching thousands of children through our school, our contracting schools, and our outreach programs, including our professional development workshops, coaching, and early childhood educator credentialing program. Over the next few years, we're going to be focusing on three main areas. Raising awareness for the benefits of high-quality early childhood education, because all children need access to a high-quality learning environment. We're also going to be working towards strengthening and expanding our current programming to support the early childhood community. And, finally, we will be working towards maintaining and growing our funding and focusing on sustainability so Childcare Resources can be here for generations to come. Childcare Resources has proven over the last 25 years that when children and families are given access to high-quality early childhood learning experiences, they not only thrive in school, but they thrive in life. 25th Anniversary Program Video (2018) Transcript Alison Armstrong, Program Parent, Childcare Resources of Indian River Childcare Resources helped me, personally, because I was a single mom, working part-time, struggling to find a babysitter every other day so I could try to work. And when she started here, I was able to finally make the money that I needed and be able to support her myself and be able to get her into a better education program. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River We currently have 124 children in our program. 70 of those children are at our school, and the other children are at our contracting centers spread throughout the county. Our school and the contracting schools that we work with have their national accreditation and we do this to ensure that the children in our program receive the very best care. Our national accreditation is through NAEYC – the National Association for the Education of Young Children – and it is truly the gold standard, best practice for early education. We have a very successful program, and that’s not only because of the wonderful academic component that we have, or that we’re addressing the children’s social-emotional needs. I think one of the biggest reasons for our success is the support that we give our parents. Everyone on our staff is here for our parents in any way that we can be helpful. Four times a year, we host parent success workshops with a variety of topics that are of interest to our parents. The topics we cover include things about healthy habits, sleep, nutrition, teaching early literacy skills in a fun way with your children. Childcare Resources has had amazing growth the last five years, and we’ve done so by looking at the needs of the early education community here in Indian River County and coming up with innovative, research-based programs that really meet the needs of our community. We strive to be the hub for high-quality early education. We provide additional services that touch children throughout Indian River County whether they are in the Childcare Resources program or not. In fact, our footprint has grown and we now reach about 4,200 children. Each year, we provide four professional development workshops open to any early educator here in Indian River County at no cost to them. With grant funding, we’ve been able to bring in experts in the field of early education from all over the country. Typically, 150 to 200 early educators attend each of these workshops. Two years ago, we wanted to expand our professional development program, and we did so by adding a coaching component. We now have two early education coaches on our staff who can go to any childcare center in our community who requests it and help implement the strategies learned at our professional eveleopment workshop. Our coaches also help with any other needs that the teachers may have in the classroom, such as classroom management or curriculum development. These ladies are hands-on, boots-on-the-ground in preschool classrooms all over our community modeling best practice in early education. Stephanie Herrera, Director, Roseland Christian Preschool Well, the collaborative partnership with Childcare Resources has helped our school, and the teachers, the parents, the children, everybody, because it’s an opportunity for them to bring quality into what they do in the classrooms, and that’s extremely important. At our preschool, Roseland Christian Preschool, we have ten teachers and all of the teachers participate in the trainings that Childcare Resources offer. Again, that instills the quality into the program for us. The teachers learn so much, they bring it back, they share the knowledge. One of the trainings Childcare Resources has provided for the teachers in the county is Conscious Discipline. The teachers come back to the classroom, and I always find something new that they’ve implemented, and I’m just so proud of that. I know that they’re listening, and they’re getting it, and they’re sharing it. It’s so important, the children must learn to get along with their peers in a structured environment, so I can’t say it enough – parents need to send their children to preschool. By the time they get to kindergarten, they’ve missed all of that. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River Last year, we were awarded a grant through Impact 100 to begin a transformational program. We created a way for early educators to earn their staff credential in a unique way. In partnership with Indian River State College, we created a program to allows early educators to earn their staff credential in a fast and easy way. We recently celebrated graduation for our first twelve graduates. Kelly Bowen, Assistant Teacher, Roseland Christian Preschool I teach, my classroom in the morning, I have about 14 children and that’s the three-year-old class, and then in the afternoon, we have about 18 children, and that’s our VPK class. The skills that I have learned have definitely made me a better teacher. One of the trainings that I went to, it was about music and movement and getting them more involved and using more of their body, actually, you know, widens their minds. The C.P.E.E. program was seventeen weeks, and it was three days a week. You did two classes the first few weeks, and then you did two classes at the end and your practicum and, um, any of that would have taken probably close to two years to try and get. I was able to take everything that I learned in the credentialing program and bring it back to the classroom that Monday. Shannon McGuire Bowman, Executive Director, Childcare Resources of Indian River Early education is not just about academic programming. If we want our children to thrive, they have to be healthy. This is the reason we started our new wellness program this year. We now have a registered nurse on our staff who’s meeting with each of our families as they enter the program and helping them to navigate the healthcare system to ensure that all of their needs are being met whether that be dental, mental health, physical, immunizations. Our wellness coordinator also helps those families when their children need additional therapies. In fact, we find about 20 percent of the children in our program are in need of these additional therapies such as speech, occupational, behavioral, and mental health. So we found that many of our families were having a hard time getting their children to therapy during the workday, because our families are working full-time or going to school full-time. So that was the reason we built out two state-of-the-art therapy rooms on our campus, so now the therapists come to our campus and the children receive these essential services while they’re with us throughout the day. None of this would be possible without the dedication and leadership of our Board of Directors, volunteers, and generous supporters. Alison Armstrong, Program Parent, Childcare Resources of Indian River We found out about the center through a family. Sierra was not even a year old and she definitely has grown immensely since the beginning of it all. Every single milestone has pretty much happened here. At the beginning, it was a little bit more rough, just because it’s always been me and her every day. Even at the time, I wasn’t working full time, but because of her being able to come here, I was able to go to work full-time and actually go back to school. She’s learning to read now. She’s got her alphabet down, her numbers. Without Childcare Resources, I would have never been able to afford any type of daycare by myself. 2018 Program Video Program Video (2017) Transcript Maileigh Duong, Program Parent It means a lot for me for Ava to be a part of Childcare Resources. For her to go somewhere every day while I’m at work, and I don’t have to worry about her, it means a lot. The two most important things about the program that I enjoy is how much everyone really cares about her. It’s kind of like a family. And then all of the staff work really with me with my schedule and, when the income guidelines change and everything. Everyone’s really welcoming and helpful. When I pick her up, I ask her how her day was and she’ll tell me about the songs or whatever they’re learning, so I always learn what they’re learning through her. And it’s nice, when I come into the classroom, to be able to see the classroom decorated and the thing that she talked to me about, so I can conversate with her about it. For all of the people that support Childcare Resources, I would just like them to know that every parent here, I’m sure, appreciates it more than they can imagine. The amount that we pay, compared to what you’d pay at another daycare, yet still have the exceptional teachers, staff, new playground. It means the world. I can only imagine what everyone else feels, especially parents with more than one child here. The transition from the old school to the new school has been great. It allows the kids to have more space. I like the locked-door system, it makes me feel a little more comforting that not just anyone can walk in. It’s a beautiful facility, and I know they have more rooms available for more children. I can’t wait to see it fill up. I was on the waitlist. I put her on right after I had her and, honestly, I was going to take two or three months anyways, so I think I had to wait a couple more weeks. At three months, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was a new mom with my first child, but when I got to the classroom and saw that they were very strict with her schedule and worked on simple things like sitting up - it was a relief to me that someone was actually interacting with her and trying to help her improve. Ava’s vocabulary is much further than some kids that she does play with that isn’t a part of this school. And she catches on to things a lot quicker than some of the other kids her age. I like to think that it has to do with the school. I ask the teachers what they’re working on, and try to implement it at home as well. As a parent, I enjoy the classes they offer. They’re not the same, so every time you go to one it’s a little different and I think it’s pretty broad for all the parents in the school. I enjoy coming in to do the volunteer hours with the make-and-take and the crafts that they do and I occasionally even take the laundry home to wash. Washing a load of laundry or coming in for some volunteer hours is nothing compared to what I’d be paying going to another school. I tell Ava everyday that we’re going to school. I don’t tell her we go to daycare, because I think they do a great job of teaching her. They’re just not babysitting her, she’s just not sitting there for the day. They try to increase her vocabulary. They work with her with her colors. I don’t think I’d be happy if she was sitting in a school where she wasn’t doing anything and just watching television. I like the fact that there are no televisions in the school. There’s no watching TV, that they do all interaction. I just think that it’s going to make her transition into real school smoother. She’s going to be used to following a set of rules, doing activities with the class, singing songs together, It’s a major relief that I can take Ava to school and not have to worry about ‘I need to go get a second job to cover her schooling for her to have a great education.’ So the investment on my behalf is nothing compared to the investment of the people who donate. 2017 Program Video Top of Page 2018 Program Video 25th Anniversary 2017 Program Video Calix's Story Starfest 2026 Starfest 2023 Starfest 2021

When I look back and try to sum up the year I keep thinking of the words calm, confident and connected. Coach's Column Susan Roberts May 21, 2020 My third year of coaching with Childcare Resources has come to an end. And what an interesting year it has been! The year started with an exciting week of Conscious Discipline training and ended abruptly by a pandemic that took us all by surprise and changed our world. When I look back and try to sum up the year I keep thinking of the words calm, confident and connected . We have had some great professional development this year. Conscious Discipline focuses on the importance of connectedness and the need for children to feel safe in order to learn. In many cases you were the safe person a child had to go to during stressful times. Since schools closed many of you have learned new ways to stay connected. Facetime, Zoom, Teams and other forms of technology have been useful in keeping as connected as we can be at this time. Learning is a lifelong adventure. Gaining knowledge in early math concepts, developmental milestones, and learning new ways to look at the arts to encourage pre-literacy skills helps build the confidence needed to try new things. Confidence in knowing your children’s developmental level and being secure in your ability to move them forward is empowering. Then there is calmness . Easier said than done! It is hard to be calm when a child or adult is screaming at you. Changing the habit of reacting, to the habit of taking deep breathes and knowing if the person is in their survival, emotional or executive state is difficult. I struggle with this but learn so much each time I see great presenters like Becky Bailey and Kim Hughes. The world has changed and we were not prepared. It is no one’s fault. There are restrictions, guidelines and genuine concern for the health of those who we come in contact with. No one knows how things will look in the fall. Stepping back and taking in all of the information you can gather and making the best decision for yourself, your family and your business is the best you can do. Being flexible and adapting is critical because everyone is dealing with the unknown. It sounds trite, but you must take care of yourself, calm yourself, and take time for yourself so you can handle the challenges that are coming. Your job is so important. You are valued and you are needed. Stay confident, calm and connected. I will see you in the fall and look forward to helping you in any way I can. Wishing you well! Susan Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Welcome Welcome visitors to your site with a short, engaging introduction. Double click to edit and add your own text. Read More Message from the Executive Director Dear early education champion, Each year at Childcare Resources culminates in graduation. At this ceremony, we celebrate our students and all that they have accomplished as they move on to kindergarten. This is an emotional day, as many of these graduates have been with us since they were infants. As I reflect on their five years with us, I also reflect on all of the years of generosity we have received from incredible supporters like you. As an advocate for early childhood education, you know the importance of the first five years. A child’s brain develops more connections, and at a faster pace, than during any other period of growth. The programs Childcare Resources provides – the programs you support – are crucial during this critical time. You are truly shaping the future. This year, I wanted to look back at how your support has provided the positive experiences our graduates needed to be ready for success in kindergarten and further. You will journey alongside Ned, Luke, and Kairi as the Childcare Resources programs you have supported work together to build their brains and provide the foundation for future success. Thank you for all that you have done, and all that you continue to do. I am so grateful. Warm regards, Shannon McGuire Bowman, MEd, MA, CFRE Executive Director About My name is Alexa Young Briefly introduce yourself and share something interesting with website visitors. Double click to edit the text. About Me Ned, 2018 Luke, 2018 Kairi, 2018 From the Start In the fall of 2018, infants Ned, Luke, and Kairi began the Childcare Resources enrollment process. Each child’s family met with a team of staff members to ensure the transition to a full-time early childhood education program would be a successful one. These meetings included general health and developmental assessments conducted by the Wellness and Early Intervention (WEIP) team . The WEIP team continues to support each student as they grow and move through the school. WEIP conducts annual hearing and vision screenings, provides family engagement and education programs, and coordinates regular developmental assessments. When deemed necessary, WEIP also manages therapeutic intervention services. In the five years since the class of 2023 enrolled, 4,754 therapy hours have been held on-site at the Childcare Resources campus. Ned enjoys Bubble Day, part of NAEYC's Week of the Young Child Luke engages in open-ended constructive play on a rainy day. Kairi peruses her classmates' work at a monthly outdoor Art Walk. Growing, together As Ned, Luke, Kairi, and their classmates grew into their toddler years, they were provided with the high-quality early learning experiences that build a foundation for success. To maintain best practices, Childcare Resources hosts professional development workshops that are free for early childhood educators to attend. Since the fall of 2018, 18 workshops have been presented, reaching 564 unique local early educators. These workshops have featured topics in art, math, literacy, fine motor skills, and more. With the addition of the Higher Education Program , early childhood educators have been provided the opportunity to grow, too. Between the Fall 2018 and Spring 2023 semesters, 144 degrees and credentials were awarded to local early childhood educators through the program. 31 of those educators were employed by or volunteered at the Childcare Resources School. "I want to be an engineer to build cool things" - Ned, 2023 "I want to be a paleontologist to find dinosaurs." - Luke, 2023 "I want to be a makeup artist to do pretty designs." - Kairi, 2023 Poised for success Towards the end of their time at the Childcare Resources School, Ned, Luke, Kairi, and their classmates are ready for success. They have had high-quality learning experiences with knowledgeable, credentialed educators. The WEIP program has monitored their progress and provided assistance to each student and his or her family. The class of 2023 has had five years of foundational growth. They are ready for great things. And it's only because of you. Through your contributions, Childcare Resources has built a comprehensive program that supports each child, but also supports that child's family, educators, and surrounding community. Because of your generosity, we are building a better tomorrow for all of Indian River County. Thank you for the graduating class of 2023. And thank you for the graduating classes of the future. . "Without you, I could not have balanced work and family responsibilities so effectively. Childcare Resources has been a crucial support system." Courtney, Ned's mother "Luke and I are both thriving because of you! Luke is ready for kindergarten and I'm now a teacher and homeowner." Abby, Luke's mother "Because of you, I have been able to pursue school and further my career, while knowing my kids are cared for a loved, without struggling with the high prices of childcare." Allison, Kairi's mother 5 Years of Growth In their last year of preschool, students are assessed in the academic skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. The assessment is conducted three times and monitors progress across early math and literacy. Skills assessed include: Alphabet Recognition: matching uppercase and lowercase letters, matching sounds to printed letters, and knowing alphabetical order Print Concepts: the ability to distinguish words from letters, and knowing how to determine word borders. Phonemic Awareness: the abilities to rhyme, blend, and segment words By the last assessment period, fifteen of eighteen students showed as academically on course for kindergarten readiness: Welcome visitors to your site with a short, engaging introduction. Double click to edit and add your own text. Anonymous (3) Mr. Brian A. Baker Bernard Egan Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William Brewster Mr. and Mrs. Dick Brickman Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Buhl Mr. and Mrs. Richard Burgoon David E. Retik and Christopher D. Mello Foundation Grand Harbor Community Outreach Mr. and Mrs. Christian Hammarskjold Mr. and Mrs. Richard Haverland Head, Heart and Hands of Indian River Club Mr. and Mrs. John Hendricks Mr. and Mrs. Albert Horton Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Hultquist Ms. Susan Hunter and Mr. Douglas Watson Indian River County Children's Services Advisory Committee Jake Owen Foundation Kelsey Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Hal Lambert Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lee Matthew J. and Anne B. Smith Foundation Ms. Wanda Lincoln Mr. John P. Moran Mr. and Mrs. David Neithercut PNC Foundation Quail Valley Charities, Inc. Mr. Donald Riefler Mr. and Mrs. Julian Robertson Mr. and Mrs. Randall Rogers Mr. and Mrs. John Spooner Ms. Helen Sarah Steyer Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Steyer Syde Hurdus Foundation, Inc. The Educational Foundation of America United Way of Indian River County

The Childcare Resources of Indian River Board of Directors. Leadership The Board of Directors guides Childcare Resources in its mission to provide affordable, quality childcare to families in Indian River County. All board members play a vital role in development, strategic planning, governance and financial management of the organization. Helen Boehm Johnson President Megan Knurr Secretary Kelly Baysura Trustee T.P. Kennedy Trustee Gail Nourse Trustee Jennifer Peshke President Elect Jim Beindorf Officer at Large Mary Sue Brown Trustee Charles R. Lunceford Trustee Kiki Rohr Trustee Tracy Sorzano Immediate Past President Melissa Shine Officer at Large David W. Griffis Trustee Matthew McCain Trustee Kate Walsh Trustee Kyle Thurn Treasurer Geraldine Smith Officer at Large Christine Hammarskjold Trustee Xavier Nolasco Trustee

Explore the highlights of our more than twenty-five years of history! Our History Top For more than twenty-five years, Childcare Resources has provided, promoted, and elevated early childhood education in Indian River County. Below are just a a few of the highlights of the organization so far. Highlights Videos Highlights Timeline 1994 It all starts with an idea. Founders Sandy Kahle, Kathy Marshall, and Sherry Waddell draft a plan that supports young children through a community network. After a presentation to Indian River County, Community Childcare Resources is founded . 1995 Putting plans in motion. In the first year of service, Community Child Care Resources provides high-quality early education to 20 local children by working with local childcare centers. 2000 Beginning in infancy. Community Child Care Resources expands services to infants as young as six weeks old. 2003 Finding a home. Community Childcare Resources purchases an administrative building in Vero Beach. The organization adds educational opportunities for program parents , hosted in the new space. 2005 Time for a change. After a decade as Community Child Care Resources, the organization adopts a new name - Childcare Resources of Indian River . 2007 Helping local teachers. Childcare Resources establishes the Excellence in Early Education speaker series , bringing nationally-recognized early childhood education experts to Indian River County. 2010 A school of our own. After a capital campaign, Childcare Resources leases space and welcomes the first students to the Childcare Resources School. 2013 Reaching quality. The Childcare Resources School earns accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children , marking the school as a childcare center of the highest quality. 2015 New beginnings. Childcare Resources moves the school and administrative office into a new space, increasing program capacity and adding on-site therapy rooms for program students. 2017 Supporting a community. Childcare Resources adds outreach programs to better support educators , including one-on-one coaching and a credentialing cohort model. 2020 Continuing to grow. The Childcare Resources School adds classrooms, additional on-site therapy rooms, and a dedicated STEM/STEAM room through a five-year pilot program. Program Videos Videos 25th Anniversary Video (2019) Video Transcript Program Video (2018) Video Transcript Program Video (2017) Video Transcript

Terms of service for the Childcare Resources of Indian River mobile messaging program. Mobile Messaging Terms of Service Last updated: November 21, 2023 Childcare Resources of Indian River, (“Childcare Resources”, “we”, or “us”) operates a mobile messaging program (the “Program”) subject to these Mobile Messaging Terms and Conditions (the “Mobile Messaging Terms”). The Program and our collection and use of your personal information is also subject to our Privacy Policy [insert link to your privacy policy]. By enrolling, signing up, or otherwise agreeing to participate in the Program, you accept and agree to these Mobile Messaging Terms and our Privacy Policy . 1. Program Description: We may send promotional and transactional mobile messages in various formats through the Program. Promotional messages advertise and promote our services and may include service opportunities and program updates. Transactional messages relate to an existing or ongoing transaction and may include registration reminders, registration confirmations, and meeting reminders. Mobile messages may be sent using an automated technology, including an autodialer, automated system, or automatic telephone dialing system. Message frequency will vary but will not exceed 12 messages per month. You agree that we, our affiliates, and any third-party service providers may send you messages regarding the foregoing topics or any topic and that such messages and/or calls may be made or placed using different telephone numbers or short codes. We do not charge for mobile messages sent through the Program but you are responsible for any message and data rates imposed by your mobile provider, as standard data and message rates may apply for SMS and MMS alerts. 2. User Opt-In: By providing your mobile phone number to us, you are voluntarily opting in to the Program and you agree to receive recurring mobile messages from us at the mobile phone number associated with your opt-in, even if such number is registered on any state or federal “Do Not Call” list. You agree that any mobile phone number you provide to us is a valid mobile phone number of which you are the owner or authorized user. If you change your mobile phone number or are no longer the owner or authorized user of the mobile phone number, you agree to promptly notify us at [insert email or other contact method]. Your participation in the Program is not required to make any purchase from us and your participation in the Program is completely voluntary. 3.User Opt-Out and Support: You may opt-out of the Program at any time. If you wish to opt-out of the Program and stop receiving mobile messages from us, or you no longer agree to these Mobile Messaging Terms, reply STOP, QUIT, CANCEL, OPT-OUT, and/or UNSUBSCRIBE to any mobile message from us. You may continue to receive text messages for a short period while we process your request and you may receive a one-time opt-out confirmation message. You understand and agree that the foregoing is the only reasonable method of opting out. For support, reply HELP to any mobile message from us. Our mobile messaging platform may not recognize requests that modify the foregoing commands, and you agree that we and our service providers will not be liable for failing to honor requests that do not comply with the requirements in these Mobile Messaging Terms. We may also change the telephone number or short code we use to operate the Program and we will notify you of any such change. You acknowledge that any requests sent to a telephone number or short code that has been changed may not be received by us and we will not be responsible for failing to honor a request sent to a telephone number or short code that has been changed. 4. Disclaimer of Warranty and Liability: The Program is offered on an “as-is” basis and may not be available in all areas, at all times, or on all mobile providers. You agree that neither we nor our service providers will be liable for any failed, delayed, or misdirected delivery of any mobile message or information sent through the Program. 5. Modifications: We may modify or cancel the Program or any of its features at any time, with or without notice. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may also modify these Mobile Messaging Terms at any time. Any such modification will take effect when it is posted to our website. You agree to review these Mobile Messaging Terms periodically to ensure that you are aware of any modifications. Your continued participation in the Program will constitute your acceptance of those modifications.

Report highlighting impacts of the 2021-2022 fiscal year 2021-2022 Impact Report Mission & Vision Childcare Resources Mission: To elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. Childcare Resources Vision: All children and their families benefit from a high quality learning experience. Early Education Childcare Resources provides high-quality care at the Childcare Resources School and partnering centers. All centers are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children . Wellness & Early Intervention The Wellness & Early Intervention Program (WEIP) provides wellness and support services to program students and families. WEIP coordinates hearing and vision screenings , therapeutic services , individual care plans , assessments , and parent educational activities . WEIP also connects program families with community resources on an as-needed basis. Educator Outreach 190 educators (unduplicated) attended professional development workshops focused on intentional teaching and self-regulation. The coaching program responded to the needs of the community with a focus on quality, reaching 27 educators . The CREATE program provided opportunities for educators to achieve academic goals, serving 50 educators with a 90% course completion rate . Three director meetings provided 24 local directors with networking and educational opportunities.

Photos: Starfest 2026 Photos: Florida Chamber Photos: CCR School Photos: Educator Outreach Videos Media Gallery Photos: Starfest 2026 Photos: Florida Chamber Photos: CCR School Photos: Educator Outreach Videos Photos: Starfest 2026 Starfest 2026 Photos: Florida Chamber Florida Chamber Foundation at Windsor Beach Club Photos: CCR School The 2025-2026 School Year at Childcare Resources Photos: Educator Outreach Educator Outreach 2025-2026 Program Videos 2026 TRANSCRIPT 2023 TRANSCRIPT 2021 TRANSCRIPT 2019 TRANSCRIPT 2018 TRANSCRIPT 2017 TRANSCRIPT

About the Program At Childcare Resources, we believe data should be used to guide how programs are developed and implemented. We utilize both quantitative and qualitative information in order to provide evidence-based programs that help children, families, and early educators in our community achieve greater results. This in turn positively impacts lives across Indian River County and beyond. This is the snapshot of impact from the 2022-2023 fiscal year that you made possible: 3,921 children impacted by our whole child development model

Terms of use for the Childcare Resources of Indian River website. Terms of Use This website is owned and operated by Childcare Resources of Indian River. The website offers visitors information about Childcare Resources programming for children, families, and educators in Indian River County. By accessing or using the Service, you approve that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. All materials hosted on the website are the exclusive property of Childcare Resources of Indian River, except where otherwise noted. Materials and information hosted on this website may be distributed with proper credit to Childcare Resources of Indian River. We may permanently or temporarily suspend your access to the website without notice and liability for any reason. You agree to indemnify and hold Childcare Resources of Indian River harmless from any demands, loss, liability, claims or expenses (including attorneys’ fees), made against them by any third party due to, or arising out of, or in connection with your use of the website. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall Childcare Resources of Indian River be liable for any indirect, punitive, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including without limitation, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data or other intangible losses, arising out of or relating to the use of, or inability to use, the website. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Childcare Resources of Indian River assumes no liability or responsibility for any (i) errors, mistakes, or inaccuracies of content; (ii) personal injury or property damage, of any nature whatsoever, resulting from your access to or use of the Service; and (iii) any unauthorized access to or use of our secure servers and/or any and all personal information stored therein. We reserve the right to modify these terms from time to time at our sole discretion. When we change the Terms, we will notify you that changes have been made to the Terms. Your continued use of the Service after any such change constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms or any future version of the Terms, do not use or access (or continue to access) the website. These Terms, the rights and remedies provided hereunder, and any and all claims and disputes related hereto and/or to the Service, shall be governed by, construed under and enforced in all respects solely and exclusively in accordance with the internal substantive laws of Indian River County, Florida, United States, without respect to its conflict of laws principles. Any and all such claims and disputes shall be brought in, and you hereby consent to them being decided exclusively by a court of competent jurisdiction located in Vero Beach, Florida. The application of the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is hereby expressly excluded. View Mobile Messaging Terms of Service.

Discover the mission, vision, and values of Childcare Resources. Mission, Vision, and Values Mission statement: To elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County, focusing on economically challenged children and families. Our Vision The vision of Childcare Resources is for all children and their families to benefit from a high quality learning experience. The vision of the Childcare Resources School is to create a community hub for high quality learning experiences. Our Values Courage We are dedicated to elevating Early Childhood Education programs to benefit children and families in Indian River County. Integrity We have a unified belief that fairness, trust, and honesty are essential to sustaining successful relationships and to achieving results. Compassion We treat all people with empathy and sensitivity, seeking a greater understanding of the challenges of the families we serve. Relationships We believe that fostering relationships are essential to empower our students and families to grow and flourish. Resilience We strive to instill hope and self-reliance in all stakeholders helping our students to thrive.