Child Care: A Public Good Impacting Wisconsinites’ Lives and Livelihood
Wisconsin’s child care system is broken. Residents from all corners of the state experience the challenges of this ailing infrastructure, which was fragile before the pandemic and has worsened significantly since. In light of this reality, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association offers some widely accepted truths.
‘Pride in my profession’: Wisconsin early childhood educator wins national award
Jill Stalker loved to “play school” in the basement when her mom, an educator, brought home extra supplies and books. In fact, it fostered her lifelong dream to become a teacher. The dream continued during college breaks when she worked at Apple Tree Connections, a...
WEESSN in the National Spotlight
When Kelly Matthews first attended the National Shared Services Technical Conference in 2017, it was purely an information-gathering opportunity.
In 2022, Kelly and seven other Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) staff members attended to present Wisconsin as a model for innovation, collaboration and growth.
What a difference five years makes.
A Day Without Child Care: A Spotlight on Transformational Change
Child care providers, parents and families across the country are marking, “A Day Without Child Care” on Monday, May 9, 2022. This day of action, sponsored by the national organization Community Change Action, aims to highlight the need for dignified, worthy wages for early childhood educators, equity in child care and affordable child care for all families.
As an organization, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association acknowledges the power and importance of this day of awareness.
National Provider Appreciation Day is May 6th: One Provider’s Appreciation
Provider Appreciation is usually a time for the community and families to pause and show appreciation for the child care providers who, through our work, keep others working. This year, I wanted to pause and reflect on my own appreciation of family child care and what...
‘Silence is not an option’: The Continued Importance of Advocacy
Advocacy has always been a part of who I am, even when I was too young to even know what the word “advocacy” meant. Earlier this year, I got to take my passion for early childhood advocacy to a big stage – the offices of Wisconsin’s elected officials – during the...
Let’s Cook! Wee Chefs-Big Results: Sunny Strawberry Kiwi Smoothies
Our recipe for March was Choose your Own Smoothie (p. 67).
My cute and savvy kitchen team whipped up Sunny Strawberry Kiwi Smoothies on a cold and rainy March morning.
Impact and Gratitude: Reflections on the Food Program During CACFP Week
Across the nation, CACFP has helped feed millions and millions of children and adults since its inception in 1968. In Wisconsin, its impact continues to be wide-ranging: In 2021, WECA’s Food Program has helped family child care providers serve more than 2 million meals to 5,000 young children in 550 child care programs across the state. The WECA Food Program proudly serves all 72 counties and 11 Tribal nations in Wisconsin.
State’s investments in child care are essential, timely
High-quality, affordable and accessible child care is critical. Wisconsin parents know it, business and community leaders know it and child care professionals know it. The state legislature’s Joint Finance Committee recent approval of a $194 million investment in our child care infrastructure means Wisconsin policymakers also continue to recognize child care’s critical importance.
Good Food, Good Partnerships: Multi-sector collaboration addresses food insecurity
Good Food for All. That was the goal – and it was achieved.
This recent 12-week pilot program assisted families in the Madison and Milwaukee areas with receiving a weekly stock of fresh produce. The initiative was truly a special tribute to the power of innovative collaboration between the early care and education sector and food systems.
