November is Idaho Nonprofit awareness month, which is a great time to talk about how Giraffe Laugh Early Learning Centers are not only quality early childhood programs, but also a nonprofit serving financially vulnerable families and children who would otherwise not have access to quality programs like ours.
At Giraffe Laugh, our purpose is to ensure school readiness, empower families and to build strong futures. We do this no matter what a parent’s economic situation is because we know that the most growth happens in the first five years of a child’s life. The first five years determine how the next 80 will unfold.
When children start behind in school, they could stay behind, and it’s important for our world to encourage educational, nurturing and stimulating environments for children no matter where they spend their days. In Idaho half of all children enter kindergarten unprepared. Some example of being unprepared means a child can’t name ten letters of the alphabet or write their name.
Strengthening families and embracing each of them in the process empowers the adults in a child’s life to provide the best case scenario at home and at school. All parents need support, especially in times of need, connections with other adults and resiliency to bounce back when they encounter issues. Parents understanding child development encourages healthy relationships in their family life. Empowering parents is a core value at Giraffe Laugh.
Nutrition is one arm of building strong futures for children and families. 1 in 10 children go to bed hungry every night in Idaho. With food pantries, meal service each day, onsite gardens and nutrition curriculum, we tackle food insecurity and access. Beyond that, field trips and enrichment opportunities such as ballet and swim lessons level the playing field for young children before they launch into the public school system.
We plan to share touching stories from people who have been served by our organization while sharing the excitement of our future plans at our Futures Begin Here Luncheon. It is on Tuesday, November 5th at the Riverside Hotel from Noon to 1PM. If you’d like to join us for this inspirational, free to attend luncheon, let us know. We look forward to sharing our mission, stories and plans for the future with our donors and friends.
Lastly, this is the month of THANKS and GIVING. We thank each and every one of you for the giving of your talent, time and treasures. Have a wonderful holiday with your family.