Impact & Influence
WECA centers innovation in all its work to support the early childhood workforce and early care and education in Wisconsin. Check out this page for more information on WECA’s innovation and influence through several impact updates, our blog, Annual Reports, news coverage, and more.
WECA In The Spotlight
Survey: Only half of Wisconsin’s child care slots are affordable for Families (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Families are ‘drowning’ as early child care programs face widespread staffing shortages (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Jackson County sees success with efforts to combat child care crisis (Wisconsin Rapids Tribune)
Advocacy group shines spotlight on child care need, potential solutions (Wisconsin Examiner)
Early Childhood Education News
The death of a day care: When a child care center closes, an entire community is affected (The 19th News)
Child care industry struggles with shortage of workers (ABC News)
Why You Can’t Find Child Care: 100,000 Workers Are Missing (The New York Times)
Rural communities need federal child care investments (Center for American Progress)
WHAT IS WECA?
WECA is a state nonprofit with significant local reach that supports early care and education in Wisconsin. Watch this video to get perspective from providers, partners, advocates, and WECA staff.
Read the Annual Report!
For more information about WECA’s research and data findings – visit this page.
Good Food at Home Partnership
WECA’s food systems staff collaborated with Partnership for a Healthier America to help bring fresh fruits and vegetables to 200 Milwaukee families this past winter. The initiative provided $60 a month in Instacart credits for fresh produce.
“Providing access to these fresh foods can help improve outcomes for children for a lifetime,” shared WECA food systems co-coordinator Catherine Hansen.
Learn more about the project in this video overview (offered in English) and read our recent blog for more on WECA’s commitment to assisting early childhood programs foster positive food environments to help children and families thrive.
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Blog
A hub of first-hand perspectives, calls to action, program and initiative information and other timely updates.
‘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...
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.
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...
‘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 National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Public Policy Forum. As a former early childhood educator and current Wisconsin Early Childhood Association employee, this experience elevated my passion and sense of urgency for advocacy on behalf of early care and education.
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.
