are the foundation for future development, providing a strong base for lifelong learning including cognitive and social development.
show that positive stimulation of a child’s brain during the critical first years of life lays the foundation for the child’s future ability to learn.
in early childhood education is an investment in our future: For every $1 dollar spent on high-quality early education, the public will save $7 or more in future costs like grade repetition, early parenthood, or incarceration.
South of Market Child Care, Inc., a Mimi and Peter Haas Fund Model Center agency, serves families in the South of Market community with programs rooted in early childhood education and family empowerment. That mission came to life in November 2025 at Transbay Child Development Center’s Thanksgiving-themed Community Café, a monthly gathering for children, families, and staff.
Children ages 18 months to five helped plan and decorate the event, while families contributed dishes that reflected their cultural traditions. The celebration strengthened home-school connections and showcased the center’s vibrant, diverse community.
Executive Director Karina Moreno and Program Director Jenn Curran joined early childhood funders from across the country at the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative conference in Montgomery, Alabama in October 2025. The convening immersed participants in the history of slavery and civil rights, and how these histories continue to shape child care, family support, and maternal health today.
Through visits to museums, historic sites, and community organizations in Montgomery and Selma, funders heard directly from local leaders, artists, and activists. The experience was intense, moving, and timely, offering powerful reminders that history is something we shape, truth-telling matters, art holds stories, and community resilience endures.