The Network News

A New School Year Begins!

2011-10-04T12:23:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday, September 6, CFNC opened its doors and welcomed -
students and teachers to its 28th school year! This year CFNC has 10 classrooms in six neighborhood locations--two in Arlington and four in Alexandria- serving nearly 200 children and their families. As it has been throughout CFNC's history, our mission is to provide caring, high-quality, free education and related services to at-risk children and their families in their own neighborhoods in order to prepare them for success in school and life.

In addition to an exemplary teaching staff and administrators, CFNC fulfills its mission with the generous support of our community. As we start a new year, we hope you'll consider becoming involved. Check out our website, our wish list, follow us on Facebook and Twitter and support us through our
newest initiative Tix4Cause. Learn more about how you can become involved (and help families like Alfredo's and Nancy's), how others are making a difference and the impact of our work in the stories below.

We are thrilled to start a new school year. Come by and join in the excitement!

A CFNC Success Story: Nancy and Alfredo

2011-10-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Success stories at CFNC abound. This month we'd like to share with you Nancy and Alfredo's story. Currently, the couple's twins are enrolled in CFNC's
preschool and in 2009 one of their older daughters was enrolled. It has been a joy to watch their progress.

When CFNC Social Worker, Glymaris Lugo, first met Nancy and Alfredo in 2009, their finances were unstable and the family was struggling. Nancy was unemployed and Alfredo's work hours were reduced. Glymaris was able to offer assistance through CFNC's Fund for Basic Needs Program and connected them with CFNC's on-site Job Placement Coach (a service that has since been cut, unfortunately). Nancy and Alfredo learned interview skills, how to build a resume and how to apply for jobs online. While applying for jobs as a preschool teacher--Nancy's dream--she was selected through CFNC's Paid Parent Program to be an assistant teacher in a CFNC classroom. With this experience added to her resume, Nancy was soon hired as a Teacher's Assistant at Bright Start Preschool where she remains employed today and has made great gains. Bright Start paid for her to take preliminary credits towards her Childhood Development Associate's Degree (CDA) for which she received certifications.

On a recent visit to their home, Alfredo proudly showed Glymaris his wife's certifications as well as a recently earned license for food management at Bright Start. He reported that Nancy received a raise this year and hopes to complete her CDA. Alfredo continues to work at the same job, and now feels at ease with his hours because it allows him flexibility to be able to pick up his daughters from school. Once the twins are in Kindergarten, he will look for a morning job. With CFNC's assistance, the family now receives temporary help from the city and has made adjustments in their expenses and budget.

CFNC shares Alfredo's pride for his family's hard work and achievements and expects more growth and success in the years to come.

CFNC and McKinley Marketing Partners in the News!

2011-10-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

On Friday, September 9, Alexandria's McKinley Marketing Partners donated a total of 30 boxes - filled with folders, calendars, loose paper, note pads, note cards and envelopes, letter-size envelopes and brochure-size envelopes - to CFNC's classrooms at the Cora Kelly Recreation Center.

McKinley recently rebranded with a fresh logo and an updated website. The circular design of its new logo underscores McKinley's mission - to provide complete, well-rounded marketing solutions for its clients' interim or direct-hire needs.
As for the 30 boxes of paper items with the old logo, those will be used to help CFNC fulfill its mission by providing children with supplies to encourage writing and drawing; creativity and design; and inspire lessons such as "how to mail a letter."

The donation caught the eye of WUSA9.com who featured an article and great photos on September 15. You can enjoy the article here.

CFNC extends a huge thanks to McKinley's President and CEO, Michelle Boggs, and her generous staff who made the huge delivery in the pouring rain! We look forward to seeing them all at CFNC again during the holiday season when McKinley coordinates a holiday party for our Cora Kelly students.

The Del Ray Business Association Provides Winter Coats for CFNC

2011-10-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) and its members have graciously committed to purchasing a new winter coat for each CFNC student this year--an amazing gift for children in need. The partnership was announced at the DRBA's September membership luncheon where Congressman Jim Moran kicked-off the spirit of generosity by announcing that he'd purchase coats for ten of CFNC's children. DRBA members followed his lead and CFNC children will be warm this winter. Read more here or contact DRBA's Pat Miller at
pmiller1806@comcast.net for information on how you can help, too!

Thank you, DRBA, for the support you provide to our community!

CFNC Participates in the Wilson Bridge Half Marathon

2011-10-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 2, CFNC participated in the 2nd Annual Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. CFNC staff passed out water along the course, provided information about CFNC at the Finish Line Festival and ran the race, too!

CFNC was one of six Charity Partners to benefit from the race.
Great big thanks to the race organizers for another
successful year. We can't wait for 2012!

Turn unused tickets into cash for CFNC

2011-10-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

CFNC is now participating in tix4cause!

Tix4Cause is an e-marketplace service that turns unused tickets, experiences and events into cash donations for CFNC. This partnership provides a unique opportunity for us to raise funds. It also is a FUN way for you to support our cause!
Donate...your unused sports and theatre tickets and 90% of the ticket sale price will go to CFNC. Your donation is 100% tax deductible.
Purchase...every day, all year long you can go to sports, theatre or concert events and support CFNC while doing so.
Spread the word...tell everyone you know about CFNC's membership with tix4cause.

Make tix4cause the first place you go for tickets!

Additional Ways to Stay Engaged

2011-10-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there are many quick and easy ways to stay engaged with CFNC throughout this school year while benefiting our students? Here are a few:

(1) Link your Harris Teeter VIC card to CFNC for a portion of the price of participating items to benefit CFNC. Register your card online here and link to CFNC's "Together in Education" number: 6467. You must link your card each year, so if you did so last year, please re-link!

(2) Link your Safeway Club Card to CFNC for a portion of the price of participating items to benefit CFNC. Register your card online here and search for CFNC's Group Number: 500004246. You must link your card each year, so if you did so last year, please re-link!

(3) Shop all year at iGive.com and up to 26% of purchases at participating stores (like Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, William Sonoma, DSW, Gap, Eddie Bauer, J.Crew-- 823 in total!) will go to your charity of choice. Join iGive.com and select The Child & Family Network Centers.

4) Purchase and donate tickets to support CFNC at tix4cause.

And don't forget...

"Like" us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter @CFNCpreschool

And support us through workplace giving campaigns: CFNC's United Way # is 8401 and CFC# is 86801.

Thank you for your support!

In Summer's Final Month, A Lot Happening at CFNC

2011-08-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the August edition of The Network News! The final full month of summer brought exciting visitors, new affiliations and the press to CFNC-each showcasing CFNC's good work to make a positive change in our community. CFNC's summer program was a hit, with nearly 50 students in attendance and, as we gear up for the new school year, wait lists are up to 96. To meet the stunning need of so many, we rely on your generosity. This fall, look for even more ways to connect and support us and scroll down to read about some. Better yet, stop by for a tour. We guarantee you'll be moved.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

CFNC on GuideStar

2011-08-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

CFNC is thrilled to now be a part of GuideStar.org! GuideStar is a "one stop shop" for donors, funders, researchers, educators, professional service providers, governing agencies, and the media to gain quality information on nonprofit organizations.

You can access CFNC's information on GuideStar here. You may notice that CFNC's page includes the GuideStar Exchange seal. This indicates that CFNC has provided GuideStar with the most up to date reports and has shared information to the fullest-including documentation, photos, and video. This makes CFNC even more visible to GuideStar's vast on-line audience of grantmakers and individual donors.

CFNC in the News

2011-08-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

CFNC's Executive Director, Margaret Patterson, was the subject of an article in the Thursday, August 4 edition of the . Margaret was interviewed by the Gazette's Edison Russ on what challenges she faces, the needs of the preschool and her visionAlexandria Gazette Packet for CFNC's future.

"I think working with kids is fulfilling," Patterson said. "A lot of kids don't have a voice, and with the Child Abuse [Prevention] Center, I was able to give a voice to a lot of kids, and I feel I'm going to have that sort of path [at CFNC]." Read the full article, and other CFNC news stories, here.

CFNC greatly appreciates Mr. Russ for the time he spent learning about CFNC by meeting our students and speaking with our staff.

The DreamDog Foundation Visits CFNC, Empowering Children to Believe in Their Dreams

2011-08-30T12:55:00.001-07:00

CFNC summer school children enjoyed an exciting visit from The DreamDog Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering kids to believe in themselves and their dreams.

The DreamDog Foundation's founder Rainey (aka Lorraine Friedman, JD) brought campers from her "Do the Write Right Thing" Summer Camp, "Jazz" the DreamDog as well as a host of songs, dances and children's books-all of which she wrote and produced for the DreamDog program. Their positive energy and enthusiasm inspired both CFNC preschool students and teachers to get up and dance, sing and play along with the DreamDog visitors.

With songs like "You can do anything" and the motto "the magic is in you!" the DreamDog team taught our preschoolers living in poverty how much potential they have to solve problems and succeed in school and beyond. "It was just great," noted Sharon Shackelford, CFNC's Director of Education. "I was thrilled that our students had the opportunity to meet The DreamDog Foundation and learn the important lesson that they teach. It was evident from the children's faces just how much fun they were having, too. We welcome the opportunity to see Rainey and Jazz at CFNC again."

The Alexandria News ran the story of DreamDog's visit to CFNC. Check it (and other stories) out here.

CFNC Joins The Del Ray Business Association

2011-08-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

This month, CFNC joined the Del Ray Business
Association (DRBA)! The DRBA is an organization of business owners and professionals that strive for growth, visibility and members success.

As a new member, we were excited to participate in the DRBA's August First Thursday neighborhood festival on Thursday, August 4. CFNC staff members set up a booth on Mount Vernon Avenue, outside of The Dairy Godmother and in the heart of the First Thursday action. We distributed information on our programs and hosted an exciting raffle for two tricycles. Passersby signed-up for our monthly e-newsletter to learn more. We made many connections with community members and other organizations and enjoyed the festivities.
,

The highlight of the evening was the raffle drawing for the pink tricycle. It was won by a little girl who had been eyeing it all evening. When her name was called the joy on her face was priceless. Her mother was very grateful and told us that she has not experienced such kindness since moving to the United States not long ago. It was a moment to remember for CFNC staff.

Join us for September's First Thursday --the last one of the summer--on Thursday, September 1 from 6PM to 9PM on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray.

Additional Ways to Stay Engaged with CFNC

2011-08-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there are many quick and easy ways to stay engaged with CFNC throughout school year while benefiting our students? Here are a few:

(1) Link your Harris Teeter VIC card to CFNC for a portion of the price of participating items to benefit CFNC. Register your card online here and link to CFNC's "Together in Education" number: 6467. You must link your card each year, so if you did so last year, please re-link!

(2) Link your Safeway Club Card to CFNC for a portion of the price of participating items to benefit CFNC. Register your card online here and search for CFNC's Group Number: 500004246. You must link your card each year, so if you did so last year, please re-link!

(3) Shop all year at iGive.com and up to 26% of purchases at participating stores (like Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, William Sonoma, DSW, Gap, Eddie Bauer, J.Crew-- 823 in total!) will go to your charity of choice. Join iGive.com and select The Child & Family Network Centers.

And don't forget...

"Like" us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter @CFNCpreschool

And support us through workplace giving campaigns: CFNC's United Way # is 8401 and CFC# is 86801.

Thank you for your support!

CFNC Opens Its Doors for a Summer Program

2011-08-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

For the first time in nearly ten years, CFNC has opened its doors for a Summer School Program!

The program runs Monday through Friday from 9 AM-3 PM with extended aftercare until 5PM and serves children ages three to five years old. Two classrooms are operating at CFNC's Birchmere location in Alexandria and one classroom is operating at CFNC's Virginia Gardens location in Arlington, with a total of 46 children enrolled. The great response from the community for our Summer Program indicates the stunning need for quality activities for preschool age children during the summer months.

Assistant Teacher Brittany Jones face paints a CFNC Summer Program student.

Our Summer Program is carefully designed to blend a summer of fun and excitement with rich learning experiences. The activities include arts and crafts, music, dramatic play, stories, physical fitness, expressive art, and games. Every Wednesday is "water day"-a crowd favorite.

CFNC is thrilled to offer its high-quality, award winning program to children this summer and is excited by the success of the program. Staff have commented on how much fun it has been to see and hear CFNC students over the summer months, months that are typically very quiet in the administrative offices, as classrooms have been closed.

Children enjoy a nutritious breakfast at CFNC's Summer Program.

And students share our excitement: One of our students is so thrilled to be in the program that every time his mother comes to pick him up at the end of the day, he runs and hides.

We hope that your summer is just as fun-filled and we invite you to join us anytime!

GTS Group Donates Truckloads

2011-08-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the GTS Group, CFNC was the recipient of two truckloads of donated items.

All new and unopened, the donated items include: strollers, bikes, patio furniture, baby monitors, bottle warmers, and a variety of household items. Items will be used to support CFNC's children and families.

Eileen Williams, Director of Operations Support at the GTS Group; Jacob Nguyen, GTS Operations; and Mr. B.K. Nehme, who drove the delivery truck, worked together to coordinate the delivery of goods to CFNC's Birchmere site and we greatly appreciate their kindness!

GTS Group and CFNC staff unload items from the trucks.

Wanted: Social Media Guru

2011-08-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

CFNC is looking to increase its visibility and presence on the web through Facebook and Twitter and we're seeking the help of a Social Media Intern.

The ideal candidate would be a recent high school graduate or current college student who is looking to put his or her social media skills and interests to work for an award-winning non-profit organization serving at-risk children and their families in Northern Virginia. The social media intern at CFNC will be instrumental in increasing CFNC's social media presence and gaining visibility for our brand. Please click here to see the full job description.

If you or someone you know may be interested or if you simply have questions about the position, please contact Anna Berke with questions at 703.836.0214 ext. 238 or via email.

We look forward to hearing from you!

HAIRSPRAY Tickets Selling Out Fast!

2011-08-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

ONLY 40 TICKETS REMAIN FOR THE RUNNINGBROOKE EXCLUSIVE SHOWING OF HAIRSPAY!

Brooke Curran, Alexandria resident, runner extraordinaire and founder of the RunningBrooke Fund, invites you hang up your sneakers & get our your hairspray! Brooke has bought out the The Little Theatre of Alexandria on August 2, 2011 for an 8 PM showing of Hairspray to support the RunningBrooke Fund which helps local Alexandria charities, including CFNC! This event is not open to the public. With back stage tours, photo ops with the cast and a pre-show soiree, it is an event you will not want to miss! Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Brooke runs marathons around the world (7 continents, 50 states + DC too + the 5 world marathon majors) -- a marathon a month -- to raise awareness and raise money for 5 vital Alexandria-based charities serving the at-risk kids and families in Alexandria/Arlington (including CFNC). Brooke pays all travel expenses and associated fees so every dollar she raises, goes to those who need it. Since May of 2009, Brooke's raised over $65K for Alexandria. Learn more about Brooke by visiting runningbrooke.com and don't forget to purchase your Hairspray tickets today!

Bittersweet Goodbyes

2011-07-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 21 was CFNC's last day of school. This school year CFNC graduated nearly 200 students, students who will enter kindergarten prepared to succeed! Our
send-offs are always bittersweet. They are sweet because we know we've nurtured, stimulated, excited and inspired our students to go on to become curious and engaged lifelong learners. And we are proud of their success and progress. They are bitter because CFNC typically has only one school year with our students; friendships and connections are made; and goodbyes aren't easy. Of course our doors are never closed to former students and their families and we welcome them back with open arms.

Despite the pending bittersweet goodbyes, June was jam-packed with seminars, workshops, events and activities for our children and their families. From beautiful graduation celebrations to a Tea Party and a Job Training Seminar, CFNC finished the school year as it had started it: by offering high-quality, culturally sensitive, appropriate and caring services to children and families in need. We hope you enjoy the stories below and help us in wishing our June 2011 graduates much future success!

Happy Summer to all!

Graduations and Celebrations

2011-07-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

CFNC is so proud of its nearly 200 preschoolers who graduated this month. Starting with the Charles Houston graduation on June 8 and ending with Virginia Gardens on
June 21, there were a total of 10 graduations at CFNC's six different locations throughout Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia.

Every class put together a music program of songs and a skit, followed by a formal graduation ceremony. Each child received their preschool diploma and a goody bag filled with treats, a special t-shirt designed with the handprints and names of their classmates, and education materials to practice lessons learned over the summer months. During some graduations, parents were moved to speak. One mother noted: "I want to thank you all for having this program. I feel that my child has learned throughout this year, but that also I have learned as a mother. This means a lot to us, especially because we have a language barrier. I feel more confident about my child's future."

Children graduated with new skills, experiences and friendships, as well as memories of an exciting and action- packed school year. Highlights include a field trip to
the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum to see "One World, One Sky" (made possible by PNC Bank); the annual Family Science Day; a Reading Railroad hosted by Kappa Kappa Gamma; multiple visits from students at St. Stephen's & St. Agnes who read to CFNC preschoolers and performed a puppet show; and a Multicultural Celebration to honor our diversity.

A special thanks to Steve and Linda Weitz, longtime CFNC supporters, Loretta Britten, former Board Member, Bill Marino and his three year old daughter, and Annie Burns and her team from GMMB for coming out to share in the joy of our graduation ceremonies!

To enjoy additional photos, please visit our Photo Gallery.

Enrollment for the 2011/2012 school year is now taking place. To inquire, please call 703.836.0214 and ask to speak with CFNC's Enrollment Coordinator, Maria Carron. Or email Maria.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!

Margaret Bush Teaches Flower Arranging to Mother's Group

2011-07-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, June 9, 2011, the CFNC Mother's Group had the unique opportunity to learn flower arranging from longtime CFNC supporter and friend Margaret Bush, owner
of Artful Arrangements. Margaret brought all of the items needed, including fresh flowers and containers and worked with each participant to create her own lovely arrangement.

The Mother's Group, consisting of 14 mothers from a variety of countries, meets weekly at CFNC with Social Worker Ansley Shackelford to develop friendships, learn parenting skills, and discuss life issues in confidence.

Ansley, who has worked with this year's Mother's Group (all mothers of CFNC students) since September, said: "This was a wonderful opportunity for our mothers
to learn a new skill-something that they can take home and share with their friends and family. We are very grateful to Margaret Bush for sharing her time and her talents with us."

Margaret and her husband Marvin Bush have been long time supporters of CFNC. In the past they have served on host committees for fundraisers and have even hosted CFNC events in their home.

CFNC Tours the White House, Take 2!

2011-07-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

On June 11, CFNC had another opportunity to tour the White House--this time in the East Wing! The tour was made possible by the The White House's Office of Public Engagement and was in honor of African-American Music Appreciation and Caribbean Heritage Month.

Those that attended were in awe of
CFNC Teacher Luz Naranjo in the Blue Room.

the ornately decorated rooms that they were able to see and experience. The East Wing includes many of the rooms that the President and his family use for entertaining, such as the Blue Room, the Green Room, the Red Room and the State Dining Room. The East Wing also includes the South Portico and offers beautiful views of the Jackie Kennedy Rose Garden.

Though they tried, no one was able to catch a glimpse of the President or his family. However, just being within the walls of so much history was thrill enough! CFNC is very grateful for this opportunity.

Hotel Monaco Hosts an Employment Workshop at CFNC

2011-07-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, June 14, Alexandria's Hotel Monaco, a Kimpton Hotel, held a Job
Employment Workshop at CFNC's Birchmere location.

The workshop was presented by Miguel Casimiro, Director of Housekeeping at Hotel Monaco and Elubia, Assistant Director. They discussed job opportunities in the
Housekeeping Department at the hotel, as well as presented participants with job descriptions, job requirements, an overview of the application process, work ethic expectations and tips for a successful interview.

Blanca Leyva, Director of Family Services at CFNC noted: "We are very excited to partner with the Hotel Monaco for this unique opportunity for our families. We are certain that all who participated learned valuable information."

CFNC looks forward to continuing our partnership with Hotel Monaco and Kimpton.

The Morrison House Hosts a Mother & Daughter Tea Party

2011-07-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

CFNC mothers and daughters enjoyed an elegant Tea Party on Saturday, June 18 at 11 AM at CFNC's Birchmere location, thanks to the generosity of Alexandria's Morrison House, a Kimpton Hotel. The Tea Party, which included traditional tea sandwiches, scones and cookies served on real porcelain tea sets, was presented by Annee Gillett, Director of Catering at The Morrison House and Hotel Monaco, along with her staff as well as CFNC's Family Support Services department.

Upon arriving, each child received a tiara, necklace and bracelet to complete their tea party attire. After enjoying the food, mothers and daughters created butterflies out of arts and crafts materials and then enjoyed a reading by The
Morrison House staff of Ms. Spider's Tea Party. Children took home their crafts, costume jewelry, a book and, most importantly, the memories of a unique and special opportunity and quality time spent with their mothers.

Glymaris Lugo, a Social Worker at CFNC who helped put on the event, noted: "The girls and their mothers had such a wonderful time! This may be a once in a lifetime opportunity for the children and families that CFNC serves, and certainly a special event for them."

CFNC is very appreciative of Annee Gillett and her staff at The Morrison House for hosting the tea party and looks forward to working with the Kimpton on future events.

To enjoy additional photos, please visit our Photo Gallery.

An Elegant Luncheon

2011-07-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

CFNC teachers and staff enjoyed an elegant and delicious end of the year luncheon, thanks to the generosity of Susan Gage Caterers and
The Birchmere. Susan Gage donated the scrumptious food and The Birchmere donated the space.

The luncheon is an annual event to thank teachers and staff upon the completion of a successful school year, but this is the first time in many years that the lunch was made possible by CFNC supporters. We thank them for providing us with the opportunity to appreciate our staff and celebrate our success this year over an elegant lunch, fun activities and the shared feeling of accomplishment for a job well done.

A RunningBrooke Exclusive Showing of Hairspray

2011-07-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

Brooke Curran, Alexandria resident, runner extraordinaire and founder of the RunningBrooke Fund, invites you hang up your sneakers & get our your hairspray! Brooke has bought out the

The Little Theatre of Alexandria

on August 2, 2011 for an 8 PM showing of Hairspray to support the RunningBrooke Fund which helps local Alexandria charities, including CFNC! This event is not open to the public. With back stage tours, photo ops with the cast and a pre-show soiree, it is an event you will not want to miss! Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Brooke runs marathons around the world (7 continents, 50 states + DC too + the 5 world marathon majors) -- a marathon a month -- to raise awareness and raise money for 5 vital Alexandria-based charities serving the at-risk kids and families in Alexandria/Arlington (including CFNC). Brooke pays all travel expenses and associated fees so every dollar she raises, goes to those who need it. Since May of 2009, Brooke's raised over $65K for Alexandria. Learn more about Brooke by visiting runningbrooke.com and don't forget to purchase your Hairspray tickets today!

Thank You for Attending CFNC's 2011 Spring Benefit!

2011-06-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

CFNC held its 2011 Spring Benefit, Moonlight on the Potomac, on Friday, May 13, 2011
at the beautiful home of Jennifer and Jim Rooney in Alexandria. THANK YOU to all who attended to support the children and families of CFNC.

Nearly 300 guests, including Congressman Jim Moran, celebrated CFNC's 27 years of good work in the community as well CFNC's new Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Margaret Patterson. It was a lovely party with delicious food, wonderful company, an exciting Silent Auction and

From left: Ellen Walter, Congressman Jim Moran, LuAnne Griffin, Robbie Aiken and Tom Scully

magnificent views of the Potomac River--all in support of CFNC's mission to provide caring, high-quality, free education and related services to at-risk children and their families in their own neighborhoods in order to prepare them for success in school and life.

CFNC would like to thank the Rooneys for sharing their lovely home and hosting the event as well as the 2011 Benefit Committee for their never-ending hard work and creativity. A very special thanks to CFNC's generous sponsors that helped make this year's Benefit a success. These include:

Gold Sponsors
CNA
Lisa & Phil Herget
Elizabeth & Bill Marino
Linda & Steve Weitz

Silver Sponsors
The Lukens Company
Ann & Tom Scully

Bronze Sponsors
Anne B. McCormack Foundation
ARPC
Rita & Dennis Meyer
Patton Boggs LLP
Gayla & Rick Reed
Kate Boyce Reeder & Joe Reeder
Rent-A-Center
Jen & Win Sheridan

Copper Sponsors
Loran & Robbie Aiken
The Birchmere
Bruhn-Morris Foundation
Margaret & Marvin Bush
Liz & Michael Chiaramonte
Courtney & Christopher Cox
Anne & Michael Donohue
Sheila & James Fleming
Dawn & Philip Garrett
Kim & Joe Gess
Marilyn & Geoffrey Giovanetti
Gage & Michael Gribbon
Amy & Dave Hawkins, McEnearney & Associates
Landon & Scott Holden
Julie & Bill Howard
IDI Group Companies
IPSA for Hair / NECTAR Skin Bar
Leigh Ann & Peyton Jackson
Emily & Robert Jones
Stacey & Camp Kaufman
Maura & Chris Lindsay
Lobkovich Kitchen Designs
Diane & John Mauk
Allison & Brian McVay
Catie & Steven Peterson
Janet & Rick Price
Marnie & John Repetti
Jennifer & Jim Rooney
Steptoe & Johnson LLP
Georgia & Jay Sullivan
Diane & Joseph Thomas
Elizabeth & Bradley Todd
The Honorable John & Jeanne Warner
Hartley & Kevin Wensing
Robin & Jon Williams

Another May Celebration: Honoring CFNC's Rich & Diverse Cultures

2011-06-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

CFNC's Multicultural Celebration took place on Wednesday, May 18 with 335 children and their families, ESL students, service providers, and City of Alexandria dignitaries in attendance. The purpose of this annual event is to celebrate CFNC's diversity by bringing our multicultural families together for a day of fun, music, and games for all. As part of the celebration, families are encouraged to wear traditional dress from their native countries.

The activities provided were made possible by monies raised from raffle tickets sold by CFNC student's parents. This year, participants enjoyed face painting, a variety of games and arts and crafts, a clown, a larger than life Elmo, a moon bounce, petting zoo and pony rides -- to name a few! A variety of service providers were also present at the event to serve the needs of CFNC's clients, including PNC Bank, The Center for Employment Training, and a Nurse Practitioner offering health information.

Among the City of Alexandria dignitaries in attendance were Congressman Jim Moran and Councilman Rob Krupicka.

CFNC thanks the Birchmere for opening up their dining space for the multicultural feast when the weather turned to rain. This year's meal represented 23 countries and 10 languages and was full of delicious treats. No doubt that a wonderful time was had by all at the 2011 Multicultural Celebration!

Congratulations to CFNC Social Worker, Ansley Shackelford!

2011-06-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Ansley Shackelford, who has been a Social Worker at CFNC since 2002, graduated from George Washington University on Saturday, May 14 with her Master's Degree of Education in Counseling. CFNC staff is very proud of her accomplishments and thrilled that her new expertise will be enriching our programs.

Ansley is considered a Superwoman around CFNC. Not only did she manage a full-time course load at George Washington University, but she worked full-time at CFNC, held a weekly Mother's Group for CFNC moms, actively volunteered in the community and still managed to be a stellar Mom to her own three children!

Ansley celebrated her accomplishments on Graduation Day with her family. Ansley noted that her children were especially excited and joyful as they watched her accept her diploma and walk across the stage. Congratulations, Ansley!

CFNC's 2011 Annual Spring Benefit

2011-05-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

CFNC's 2011 Annual Spring Benefit, "Moonlight on the Potomac" took place on Friday, May 13, 2011 at the beautiful home of Jennifer and Jim Rooney in Alexandria. There guests enjoyed spectacular food and company, wonderful views and an exciting Silent Auction--all in the name of helping Northern Virginia's neediest children succeed in school and in life. Guests included long-time CFNC supporters Congressman Jim Moran and Senator John Warner and his wife, Jeanne. Thank you to all who helped to make the event a success and to the nearly 300 in attendance. Enjoy photos in the Photo Galleries section of CFNC's website.

February Was All About Science!

2011-02-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

February was Science Month at CFNC!

Children, families and staff embarked on an exciting field trip to The Smithsonian's
Air and Space Museum and CFNC held its Annual Family Science Day. Read on to find out more and see photos of CFNC's many scientists!

This month we also celebrated the academic achievements of two of CFNC's teachers who were nominated for membership in The National Society of Collegiate Scholars at Northern Virginia Community College. We're very proud, but certainly not surprised--CFNC students excel because of the hard work and commitment of our teachers! Learn more below.

Science discovery, top-notch teachers, and the many other award winning services that CFNC offers could, of course, not be possible without the continued support of our community. This month CFNC received a contribution from runner extraordinaire Brooke Curran and her RunningBrooke Fund. We thank Brooke in a short segment below, and feature two of the great photos that we took during her visit.

As always, please be in touch, stop by for a tour or stay connected with us on Twitter, Facebook and our website. We look forward to hearing from you.

CFNC Visits The Air and Space Museum

2011-02-28T12:39:00.000-08:00

On Friday, February 11, CFNC students from all 10 classrooms, as well as parents and staff members, enjoyed an exciting field trip to The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. CFNC is extremely grateful to PNC Bank's Grow Up Great Program for making the field trip possible, and for connecting CFNC with the patient and nurturing staff at the Museum who made the field trip such a success!

The morning began with a 10 AM private showing of One World, One Sky in the Museum's planetarium. The 20-minute planetarium show follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth. Children attending the show interact as they watch, drawing constellations and counting the time it takes the sun to set. The show aims to nurture a child's natural sense of wonder about the night sky, and it clearly did just that for CFNC's students as they laughed, clapped and sang along. Many seemed to be in awe of the planetarium format, which makes you feel as if you are moving along with the characters in the show. Children squealed in delight and one exclaimed: "That was so much fun!"

The field trip continued as children made shadow puppets and explored science
concepts throughout the Museum. When buses picked up children at 12:30 PM, CFNC students were full of new questions, ideas and lessons learned, many that teachers will continue to build and expand upon back in the classroom.

"It was a truly wonderful day for all involved," noted CFNC's Director of Education,
Sharon Shackelford. "Visiting the Air and Space Museum was a unique experience for CFNC's children and families and we greatly appreciate PNC Bank for the opportunity to expose them to science concepts in such a hands-on and exciting way."

To see more photos from the field trip, please visit CFNC's Photo Gallery.

Family Science Day

2011-02-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

...And if they didn't get enough science at the Museum, more than 28 students and their families enjoyed CFNC's annual Family Science Day held on February 12. Children and their parents learned science concepts together by visiting a variety of stations to touch, feel, inquire, explore and experiment. Students received a participation prize for each experiment they completed.

Some of the favorite activities and experiments of the day included learning about sound vibration, making rubbings of animal figures, playing with light reflection and bubbles! The experiment that brought about the most excitement, giggles, and sometimes squirming was the Feely Touch Box. Children were required to put their hands in the box to determine what it was they were touching (for example, shells and blocks) and then draw their perceptions on paper. The drawings truly reflected the vivid imaginations of CFNC's students!

As the event drew to a close, it was wonderful to see children and parents reviewing the day's exciting activities and new learnings together...many to be continued at home, we are certain!

To see more photos from the Family Science Day, please visit CFNC's Photo Gallery.

CFNC Teachers' Academic Achievement

2011-02-28T11:39:00.000-08:00

CFNC is proud to recognize two of its Lead Teachers, Arnita Willis and Tiffannie Carey, who both were nominated for membership into The National Society of Collegiate Scholars by Northern Virginia Community College. Both teachers are working towards an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education and maintained a 3.6 GPA or higher and a ranking among the top 20% of their class, which are requirements for membership into the Society.

Arnita is a Lead Teacher at CFNC's Charles Houston location. In addition to being a stellar teacher and a diligent student, Arnita is a dedicated mother and the wife (for 25 years!) of Louis Willis. Arnita loves teaching because she knows what an impact she is making on her young students by preparing them for successful futures.

Tiffannie is a Lead Teacher at CFNC's Cora Kelly location and has been with CFNC for 5 years. In her own words: "I am proud of this honor and what it means to me, my family and my career."

CFNC is very grateful for its talented and high quality teaching staff, many of whom, like Arnita and Tiffannie, are furthering their credentials. In fact, in 2010, CFNC's teachers completed on average 59 clock hours of professional development and training, far exceeding Virginia State Licensing Standards of 16 hours.

Congratulations, Arnita and Tiffannie!

The RunningBrooke Fund Supports CFNC

2011-02-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

CFNC is honored to be one of five recipients of The RunningBrooke Fund. Runner extraordinaire and founder of the Fund, Brooke Curran, stopped by CFNC on February 24to present the contribution and take photos with students.

As always, Brooke brought her amazing and seemingly endless energy to CFNC and had a wonderful time visiting students on the playground and surrounding herself with children! "I just love the little ones," she said. "They bring so much joy."

Brooke's mission is to "Run Globally and Act Locally!" so she has committed to completing one marathon per month on every continent, in each of the 50 states and the five world majors (Boston, New York, London, Chicago and Berlin) while raising money to support Alexandria charities through her RunningBrooke Fund. So far, Brooke has completed marathons in 21 states, four of the five majors and on five continents, with Antarctica and Africa still on her to-do list.

In 2010, CFNC was also very fortunate to be the recipient of money raised through The RunningBrooke Fund and is thrilled about the progress that Brooke has made in 2011 towards her goal to raise $50,000. To read more about Brooke, where she's running next and how you can become a part of the race, visit her website at www.runningbrooke.com.

Moonlight on the Potomac: CFNC's 2011 Annual Spring Benefit! -

2011-02-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

CFNC's 2011 Annual Spring Benefit--"Moonlight on the Potomac"-- will take place on Friday, May 13 from 7 PM to 10 PM at the lovely home of Jennifer and Jim Rooney. There attendees will enjoy delicious food, wonderful company and beautiful views--all in support of Northern Virginia's neediest children. Special thanks to the Freddie Mac Foundation for their continued support of CFNC’s work. For more information on ticket purchase and sponsorship, please visit our Events page.

New Year, New Learning Opportunities

2011-02-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from The Child & Family Network Centers!

The success and excitement of our holiday events created a momentum that launched us into the New Year with renewed energy and inspiration. Thank you for your
contributions to our successful holiday events--from coat drives to holiday parties, our year-end campaign and the "Adopt a Family" Program.

We are also thrilled to be kicking off the New Year with a field trip, made possible by our generous supporters at PNC Bank's Grow Up Great Program, to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Planetarium. Students, teachers and parents will enjoy a private showing of "One World, One Sky" and have time to explore the museum afterwards. It is a wonderful and unique opportunity and photos from the trip will certainly be a feature of our next newsletter. So stay tuned!

In the meantime, scroll down to read a tribute to a loyal CFNC supporter, meet our Volunteer of the Month, find out what runner extraordinaire Brooke Curran has been up to, learn new ways to support our cause and more! And, as always, please be in touch, stop by for a tour or stay connected with us on Twitter, Facebook and our website.

Honoring Robert Stufflebeam

2011-02-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

On September 15, 2010, a long time CFNC supporter and friend, Robert E. Stufflebeam, passed away. Mr. Stufflebeam was 98 years old. A resident of Alexandria, he felt very strongly about CFNC's mission to help underserved children in his community and was a very loyal contributor and advocate for CFNC's cause. Mr. Stufflebeam will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through CFNC's work.

Volunteer of the Month

2011-02-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

Meet Camille Funn. Camille volunteers at CFNC's Birchmere 1 Classroom every Monday. She learned about CFNC's need for classroom volunteers on the Volunteer.gov website, and has been an active CFNC volunteer since 2007.

"I very much enjoy working with the students and teachers, and get a lot out of it," Camille says. Camille is always upbeat and eager to help out. CFNC feels very lucky to have such a dedicated volunteer.

Camille brings her love of reading to CFNC's classrooms as well as to the third grade classrooms of Charles Barrett Elementary School, where she also volunteers her time.

If you are interested in volunteering at CFNC, please contact Kristin Thompson at kthompson@cfnc-online.org or 703-836-0214 x234.

MLK Day of Service

2011-02-02T09:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday, January 17, instead of celebrating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday with a day-off, Burgundy Farm Country Day School hosted its second Day of Service.
Nearly 300 Burgundy Farm and Jefferson-Houston students and their families teamed up with Volunteer Alexandria and The Giving Circle of Alexandria to complete 22 service projects to benefit local, national and international non-profit organizations, including CFNC!

Among many activities, students assembled newborn baby kits for expectant mothers and created books on tape for Walter Reed patients. CFNC was the proud recipient of more than 200 dental kits--complete with toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and proper
cleaning information. Kits will be distributed to each family to encourage clean teeth and proper dental hygiene as part of CFNC's Family Services Program.

Alexandria Mayor William Euille stopped by and gave remarks, and Senior Advisor to the Secretary (Department of Interior) Dr. Robert G. Stanton was the keynote speaker.

The event garnered the attention of FOX and NBC news. Check out the footage and read more here.

Runner Extraordinaire and CFNC Supporter, Brooke Curran, in Washingtonian Magazine

2011-02-02T09:52:00.000-08:00

CFNC supporter, Alexandria resident and runner extraordinaire, Brooke Curran, was featured in December's Washingtonian Magazine and CFNC was mentioned!

Brooke's mission is to "Run Globally and Act Locally!" so she has committed to completing one marathon per month on every continent, in each of the 50 states and the five world majors (Boston, New York, London, Chicago and Berlin) while raising money to support Alexandria charities through her RunningBrooke Fund. So far, Brooke has completed marathons in 20 states, four of the five majors and on five continents, with Antarctica and Africa still on her to-do list.

In 2010, CFNC was very fortunate to be the recipient of money raised through the RunningBrooke Fund and is excited about the progress that Brooke has made in 2011. To read more about Brooke, where she's running next and how you can become a part of the race, visit her website at www.runningbrooke.com

This just in! Brooke is currently recruiting 50 runners to participate in the National Half Marathon while raising money for the RunningBrooke Fund. Runners receive a training program and coaching from Brooke, team gear, a cheering station, an after-party (provided by Lululemon), race-day pace setters and more! Read the flier here.

Turn Your Old Gadgets into Cash for CFNC

2011-02-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

CFNC is hosting an online "gadget drive" through Gazelle to raise money to support our programs. A gadget drive is a new way to fundraise that turns your used electronics (laptops, cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, video games and more) into cash to support a cause. Contributing to CFNC's drive is simple and free. Just visit our drive webpage at http://cfnc.gazelle.com, find the value of the gadgets you would like to donate, print out the automatically generated shipping label and send items to Gazelle. You will receive a confirmation of your donation by email and CFNC will be notified. Then, CFNC will be sent a check for the value of your donated items.

Please help us reach our goal to raise $2,000 by June!

Keep on Shopping for CFNC!

2011-02-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you to the many of you who have shopped at Harris Teeter and Safeway using your membership cards to allocate 10% of the cost of participating items to CFNC! Please keep on shopping and encourage your friends and family to do so, too.

Harris Teeter's "Together in Education" Program runs through May 31, 2011. To link your Harris Teeter VIC card to CFNC, visit Harris Teeter's website here.

And, click here to link your Safeway card to CFNC's account. CFNC's Group ID is 500004246.

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, we hope you'll purchase your game-day snacks and treats at these two locations!

A Holiday Letter from CFNC

2010-12-22T07:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

With the dawning of a new holiday season, we often find ourselves reminiscing on the events that shaped our year. In 2010, The Child & Family Network Centers (CFNC) experienced events that brought us joy, gratitude, sadness and fulfillment.

JOY in being able to prepare nearly 200 preschoolers for kindergarten, being considered one of the top preschools in the area by Northern Virginia Magazine (January 2010), and being among the first child care centers to receive a four-star rating from the Virginia Star Quality Initiative.

GRATITUDE in knowing that hundreds of thoughtful contributors and volunteers joined forces with CFNC to help defeat a major impediment to children succeeding in school and in life - a lack of early childhood education.

SADNESS in seeing our Founder and Executive Director Barbara Mason retire after 26 years of extraordinary service to our children and our early childhood community.

FULFILLMENT in knowing that with your continued help and the support of our corporate, foundation and local government partners, CFNC will continue to achieve its goal of providing the best possible learning environment for our neediest children and their families.

We are firm believers that a society is judged by the manner in which it cares for the less fortunate members of its population. It is our hope that we will always be known as an organization that cares enough about the community to make a difference and that we never forget that it is "ALL ABOUT THE KIDS."

On behalf of our children, parents, faculty, administrators and board members, I wish you the very best that life has to offer. May your holiday season be filled with joy and happiness. Please keep CFNC in your thoughts and continue to provide your valuable assistance in helping us serve our community.

Warm Regards,

Lee Jackson
Interim Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer

A Community of Kindness:

2010-12-21T13:44:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, CFNC has been positively overwhelmed by the spirit of giving in the Northern Virginia Community. It has taken over hallways, offices, classrooms and put smiles and wonderment (at times chocolate, glitter and reindeer antlers!) on the faces of CFNC's nearly 200 students.

Students kicked off the season with holiday parties coordinated by employees of local businesses. Health Central, McKinley Marketing, Elizabeth Lucchesi and the LizLuke Team, Dominion VA Power and A+ Government Solutions entertained students with arts & crafts projects, story-telling, cupcake decorating, hat making, pizza and even a game of pin the carrot nose on the snowman. Each party was a joyous and festive occasion and we are grateful to everyone involved for their creativity, generosity and for taking the time to celebrate with our students.

Additionally, churches, businesses and individuals brought holiday magic to each of CFNC's families by purchasing gifts for all. CFNC families completed a wish list and, more often than not, found each and every item requested wrapped and delivered to their child's class. From bikes, to clothing, kitchen supplies and even bunk beds--delivered in moving vans, wrapped and labeled--the generosity was astonishing. A huge thanks to the local church groups, the individuals and businesses who worked very hard to adopt a CFNC family, ensuring for each one a festive holiday.

CFNC students will be warm, thanks to employees of Liberty Mutual & Enterprise

2010-12-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

A warm coat is a necessity in our area during the winter time, though quite often something our children and families go without. That's why we are positively thrilled to have the generous support of local Liberty Mutual Insurance and Enterprise Rent-A-Car employees and friends who partnered up to provide more than 150new winter coats to CFNC students this year.

It was a team effort of the Fairfax, VA and Hunt Valley, MD offices of Liberty Mutual and DC metro area Enterprise offices, as employees worked together to purchase the proper pre-specified size and color coat for each CFNC student. Their effort was tremendous.

Not satisfied with simply making the purchases, employees from Liberty Mutual and Enterprise took a day off to deliver the coats to CFNC and meet the children who will be kept warm in them. Rick Watkins, Erin Wood and Gina Cernak of Liberty Mutual and Lisa Tolbert from Enterprise had a wonderful time getting to know the children and revealing their new winter coats...and, as you can see from the faces here, children were overjoyed. Liberty Mutual and Enterprise described their experience as "wonderful!" "great!" "far exceeded expectations!" "truly made a difference!" It was a very positive day for all.

A very heartfelt thanks to the employees of Liberty Mutual and Enterprise for their extraordinary kindness. CFNC children will run around and play outside this winter, warm and cozy in their new coats.

In Lieu of Gifts, A Toy for CFNC

2010-12-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

Mollie Miller and Hannah Thomas, 6th graders at St. Stephen's & St Agnes School,recently turned 12 years old and had a joint birthday party last week to celebrate. Instead of gifts, Mollie and Hannah asked their friends to bring an educational toy to be donated to the preschoolers at CFNC!

Mollie and Hannah and Hannah's mother, Diane, delivered four large bags of toys and books--more than 60 items-- to CFNC and also brought a book and drawing activity to engage the children. Mollie and Hannah read a winter-time story and then helped preschoolers draw and color, using glitter to create winter snowscapes. The children had a ball with their visitors and will certainly enjoy their new toys and books!

CFNC would like to give a big thanks to Mollie and Hannah for including CFNC in their birthday celebration...and of course wish them a very Happy Birthday, too! We hope they'll be back soon for another visit.

CFNC particpates in Deals for Deeds

2010-12-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

Last week we asked that you vote for CFNC's particpation in Deals for Deeds and this week we're proud to announce that we've received the most number of votes! Thank you for your help. As a result, CFNC will be featured on the Deals for Deeds website at www.dealsfordeeds.com this entire week (12/20-12/26)!

What this means is that a minimum of 5% of every sale on the Deals for Deeds website this week will come to CFNC to support and enhance CFNC's preschool science program. Deals For Deeds is an innovative new platform that helps non-profits raise funds and awareness while offering great deals on the best the DC-area has to offer like spas, restaurants, bars, and more--all at 30-50% off. Everyday there is a new, great deal offered for purchase and there will be some pretty neat deals offered this week in honor of the season. We hope that you will check out www.dealsfordeeds.com and please spread the word. The more deals purchased this week, the more CFNC benefits!

Don't Forget!. CFNC & iGive

2010-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

There may still be time to do last minute shopping online and support CFNC! Shop all year at iGive.com and up to 26% of purchases at participating stores (like Old Navy, Bed Bath & Beyond, William Sonoma, DSW, Gap, Eddie Bauer, J.Crew-- 823 in total!) will go to your charity of choice.
Join iGive.com here to support CFNC. It's free, safe, and easy to join. Remember: CFNC only benefits when you make purchases through the iGive website. If you go directly to the retailers' website and make purchases, CFNC will not receive a percentage of the sale. Please help us spread the word!

CFNC Earns High Marks in New Star Rating System

2010-10-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

The Child & Family Network Centers (CFNC) is among the first child care centers and preschool programs in the Commonwealth to receive a star rating as part of the Virginia Star Quality Initiative, a quality rating and improvement system for early learning programs. By participating in the initiative, early learning programs are awarded one of five star levels of increasing quality. CFNC received stellar marks: three four-star ratings and two three-star ratings for the five Alexandria sites that participated in 2010. This rating system will give families an easy-to-use tool when researching options for their children's earliest learning experiences.

"CFNC was excited to participate and we are thrilled by our star-rating," said Sharon Shackelford, Director of Education at CFNC. "Our rating is further evidence of the high quality of our preschool and we are proud that for more than 26 years we have been able to offer our program at no cost to families in need."

For further details on this honor, please read the full press release .

For more information and a list of star rated early learning programs, please visit the Smart Beginnings website.

Thank you for your support which helps us maintain our high-quality, star rated programs!

October's Featured Volunteer: Jade Lau

2010-10-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Meet Jade! Jade Lau is October's featured volunteer for the kindness, patience and dedication that she brings to CFNC, its students and teachers. Jade first learned about CFNC from a volunteer posting she saw online and began volunteering as a classroom assistant at one of CFNC's Cora Kelly classrooms in the fall of 2009. From day one it was clear that Jade is passionate about the work done at CFNC and truly enjoys being with the children, interacting and helping them grow and develop. And, the children and teachers at Cora Kelly are delighted to have her on-board.

Originally from Hong Kong, Jade lived in Arizona and Georgia before moving to Alexandria with her husband two years ago. When she's not volunteering at CFNC, Jade enjoys biking with her husband in Alexandria and on the many bike trails throughout Northern Virginia. She also enjoys cooking and baking.

We are very lucky to have Jade volunteering at CFNC, and are hopeful that she will be with us for many years to come.

If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering at CFNC, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Kristin Thompson at kthompson@cfnc-online.org, or call 703-836-0214 ext 234.

Everyone was a WINNER at Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™!

2010-10-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

As you know, CFNC was very pleased to have been selected as one of 12 nonprofit organizations to partner with Acumen Solutions for the 2nd Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K and 1 Mile Fun Run. The event took place on Sunday, October 17 in Arlington, VA and was a great success.

Each of the 12 organizations selected was charged with recruiting 100 participants to register for the race and select their organization as the participant's charity of choice. The CFNC community rallied their friends and family and, as a result, 114 people signed up in support of CFNC!

CFNC staff and Board Members enjoyed participating as runners and spectators. Social Worker Glymaris Lugo (pictured on left) oversaw a CFNC table in the start/finish area and chatted with participants about CFNC's work.
THANK YOU, CFNC Community, for supporting our cause by registering. A BIG THANKS to the staff at Acumen Solutions for coordinating the race and helping so many families in need throughout the greater Washington DC area. CFNC hopes to be a part of this event for many years to come.
Acumen Solutions' previous 10K road races and last year's Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™ 8K have contributed over $125,000 to benefit local nonprofits. The company has contributed over $1 million dollars to charitable causes since inception. To find out more about the race, the results and the participating organizations please visit www.acumensolutions.com/theraceforacause

Second Graders from St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School Visit CFNC

2010-10-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

On October 19 and 20, CFNC students were visited by second graders from St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School--an annual tradition that never fails to inspire smiles, friendship and play. This year, the second graders engaged the preschoolers by collaborating on art projects at the easels, dressing up as firemen and firewomen, experimenting at the water table and sharing time in the reading nook.

It was evident from the laughter and constant activity in the classroom that the visit was enjoyed by all. Dress-up and number games transported second graders back in time to their preschool days; while they also acted as teachers by imparting their 7-year old wisdom on CFNC students. Meanwhile, CFNC students found role models and mentors and gained valuable social and interactive skills critical to their development.

CFNC looks forward to welcoming St. Stephen's & St. Agnes back again soon for more learning, laughter, partnership and fun.

Run for CFNC during Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause 8K™

2010-10-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

We need your help! CFNC has also been selected as one of 12 charity partners for the second Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™ 8K and 1-mile run, to take place Sunday, October 17 in Arlington, VA.

CFNC is excited to take part-BUT, in order for CFNC to be eligible to receive proceeds from the race we must recruit a minimum of 100 people to register and select CFNC on the registration form. Please consider signing-up! We're hoping you'll act fast as online registration closes at 12:00pm on October 15.

Please keep in mind that registration for both the 1-mile fun run (a fee of as little as $15) and 8K race will be credited towards CFNC's 100-person minimum. Acumen Solutions' previous 10K road races and last year's Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™ 8K have contributed over $125,000 to benefit local nonprofits and the company has contributed over $1 million dollars to charitable causes since its inception. This is the first time that CFNC will benefit and we appreciate your help to make it happen. Spread the word!

Check out the link below for a PSA promoting the race and encouraging participants to select CFNC upon registration.

Race for a Cause PSA

Featured Volunteer

2010-10-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

CFNC would like to take an opportunity to send a special thank you to a most dedicated volunteer, Mr. Louis Willis.

This summer Louis helped us prepare for the school year by sprucing up the playground at our Birchmere location. This project was arduous and labor intensive, involving clearing out the children's playground of overgrown weeds, vines, tree branches and limbs that had taken over the surrounding fence, preventing a clear view into the playground. Louis is a "jack of all trades," and no matter what the task may be, he completes it with a smile and with an eagerness to help.

We would be remiss if we did not mention that Louis is married to Ms. Arnita Willis, Lead Teacher at Charles Houston. This pair devotes a lot of time and energy to supporting CFNC and for that we are most grateful. Thank you Willis Family!

Everybody wins at the Inaugural Woodrow Wilson Bridge 1/2 Marathon

2010-10-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Inaugural Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon took place on Sunday, September 19--a beautiful day for a race.

CFNC was selected as one of 6 charity partners of the race and CFNC staff had a wonderful time participating in the many activities leading up to and day-of the event. In fact, CFNC staff dedicated a total of nearly 60 volunteer hours to assembling and distributing race packets, handing out water on the course and promoting the event and CFNC's participation.

The race sold-out at 4,000 runners, among them CFNC staff members Anna Berke, Manager of Development, and Eugenie Ballering, ESL Teacher, as well as Race Ambassador and local celebrity Doreen Gentzler, and more than 25 world-class international elite athletes. Without a doubt, runners enjoyed the perfect weather and the scenic course, which began at Mount Vernon, continued along the George Washington Parkway and then crossed the majestic Woodrow Wilson Bridge into National Harbor.

CFNC was thrilled to be involved in this most successful event and looks forward to next year! According to a recent Washington Post article , since 2003 the half-marathon has been the fastest growing road race distance in the United States. Perhaps you'll consider joining us in 2011? For more information, visit the race's website.

We're Back to School

2010-10-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, September 7, CFNC's six Northern Virginia locations opened their doors to the class of 2011. We are thrilled to start another school year--CFNC's 27th!

We hope you'll have an opportunity this Fall to stop by one of our six locations to welcome our students to preschool. No doubt you'll find a very active bunch painting, drawing, cutting, gluing, even constructing a fire engine (see pics below) and of course LEARNING every step of the way.

As we launch into the new school year there are so many opportunities to support our cause. Read on to learn how some folks already have; as well as how you can help CFNC by registering for the Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause 8K™. Be sure to checkout our website for information on our wish list and for other upcoming opportunities. You'll be making an impact not only on our students and families, but on your community. Remember that: "High-quality early childhood education helps prepare young children to succeed in school and become better citizens; they earn more, pay more taxes, and commit fewer crimes. Every dollar invested in quality early care and education saves taxpayers up to $13.00 in future costs" (Calman & Tarr-Whelan, 2005).
The faces below, along with the nearly 200 children and families, staff and administrators at CFNC hope to see you soon!

Extraordinary Donation of School Supplies Provides an Excellent Start to the New School Year

2010-09-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

CFNC students will be very well-equipped this school year thanks to the extraordinary donation made by a fellow Alexandria community member, who felt moved by CFNC's mission to help at-risk children succeed.

On August 16, Sara made a surprise visit to CFNC's Birchmere location, delivering 200 pieces each of 25 different school supplies--for a total of nearly 5,000 items! The supplies, including crayons, markers, lined paper, kid-friendly staplers and hole punches, filled the entire lobby and larger items that Sara purchased for CFNC continue to arrive via mail. Sara's generosity is incredible and CFNC is extremely grateful.

Sara's donation could not have come at a better time. Her gift is an enormous help, providing an excellent start to the 2010/11 school year. Her school supplies will be distributed to each of CFNC's classrooms and assist our teachers in fostering the growth and education of their students. We look forward to welcoming Sara back to CFNC soon so that she can witness students enjoying her gifts.

CFNC is always in need of supplies for the classroom and other items that help us to meet the needs of the children and families we serve. To find out what our current needs are please take a look at our Wish List, visit our website at www.cfnc-online.org or contact Anna Berke, Manager of Development, at aberke@cfnc-online.org or (703) 836-0214.

Run or Walk in Support of CFNC this Fall

2010-09-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Autumn is a wonderful time for outdoor exercise-especially while supporting a great cause! There are two upcoming opportunities that we hope you'll take part in. The first is the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, September 19and the second is Acumen Solutions Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K on Sunday, October 17. A portion of the proceeds from both events will benefit CFNC, among other local charities. If you can't join the race, there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer or make a donation. See below for more information. On your mark...get set...go!

Race Ambassador Doreen Gentzler will run the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon, accompanied by her husband, Bill. Also on the course will be CFNC's Manager of Development, Anna Berke. With more than 3,500 participants registered there are only 500spots remaining! Register today on the race's website. There you'll also find a course map, information on the benefitting charities and volunteer opportunities. We hope to see you out there on race day! Click on the links below to see a two-part interview with Steve Nearman, which aired on Fairfax Community Public Access to promote the race.

Part I

Part II

CFNC is also proud to announce that we will be partnering with Acumen Solutions for their 2nd Annual Race for a Cause™ 8K and 1K Fun Run race on Sunday, October 17, 2010 in Arlington, VA. CFNC will be one of 12 charities benefitting from the race and it's up to the runner or walker to pick which charity their donation will benefit. The 1 mile format has been added this year to give families and young runners a chance to participate. Two-thousand dollars in combined prizes will be awarded to winners. Acumen Solutions' previous 10K road races and last year's Acumen Solutions Race for a Cause™ 8K have contributed over $125,000 to benefit local nonprofits. The company has contributed over $1 million dollars to charitable causes since inception. This is the first time that CFNC will benefit from this event. For more detailed information and registration go to http://www.acumensolutions.com/theraceforacause/

Check out the link below for a PSA promoting the race and asking that you support CFNC upon registration. Spread the word!

Race for a Cause PSA

CNFC Goes "Back to School" with Safeway

2010-09-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

CFNC will benefit from Safeway's back to school fundraising program. As a participant, CFNC will receive a percentage of qualifying purchases made by customers who have linked their club cards to CFNC. Here's how you can make your purchases help the nearly 200 children and families that CFNC serves this school year:

Step 1: Sign up for free now. Log onto www.escrip.com anytime, register your Safeway Club Card and select The Child & Family Network Centers, by searching our Group Number: 500004246.

Step 2: Shop at Safeway and purchase specially marked products. When shopping at Safeway stores between August 11, 2010 and September 14, 2010, look for yellow School Bus tags on over 2,000 participating products. When purchasing these products, present your Safeway Club Card at check-out. You will be able to check your receipts throughout the program to see how much of your purchases will go to CFNC. The total will be updated after each shopping trip at the bottom of the store receipt.

Step 3: Between September 18, 2010, and October 13, 2010, your Safeway receipts will provide a redemption code, located at the bottom of each receipt. In order for CFNC to receive the funds, you will need to either: (1) log on and enter your redemption code(s) at www.escrip.com OR (2) mail/drop-off your receipts at CFNC (3701 A Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 22305). You can return to www.escrip.com as many times as necessary between September 18, 2010 and October 13, 2010 to register additional receipt codes.

CFNC & Harris Teeter: Together in Education

2010-07-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

CFNC will once again participate in Harris Teeter's Together in Education program- a fundraising program for schools in the communities where Harris Teeter grocery stores are located. When customers purchase select Harris Teeter Brand products using their VIC card, Harris Teeter contributes a percentage of those purchase dollars to the schools of the customer's choice.

We need your help! There are two ways to ensure that funds from your qualifying Harris Teeter Brand purchases will be credited to CFNC. You can simply give the cashier your VIC Card and the school's Together in Education number (CFNC's is 6467) during checkout or, better yet, you can link your VIC card directly to CFNC by registering online here. That's it! The program runs from August 1, 2010 thru May 31, 2011, but you can register your card online anytime.

In the 2009/10 school year, the program raised nearly $1.4 million for participating schools of which CFNC recieved less than $100. Help us raise significantly more this year by linking your card today! Thank you for your support.

CFNC Celebrates the Class of 2010

2010-07-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Child & Family Network Centers (CFNC) marked the end of its 26th school year this June with graduation ceremonies in its eleven classrooms located in seven preschool sites throughout Alexandria and Arlington.

The graduation ceremonies are a time to celebrate the great gains made by both children and their parents over the course of the school year. Children demonstrated their learnings through songs in both Spanish and English, dance, and recitation of the alphabet, colors and numbers. In recognition of their accomplishment, each child received a diploma as well as a gift from their teachers. Additionally, thanks to the generous donations made at CFNC's Annual Spring Benefit in May, children took home a backpack with school supplies for kindergarten and practice materials to help them during summer vacation.

CFNC graduations are a very festive and often emotional time for teachers and staff as they send their students off to kindergarten. It is a time for teachers and staff to reflect on the skills they have nurtured and instilled in each child; and tools that will equip them for success in kindergarten, and prepare them for life beyond CFNC's doors. We are proud of the students of CFNC's class of 2010 and excited for what their futures hold!

In the news: Study finds that effects of low-quality child care last into adolescence

2010-07-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

On May 14, 2010 The Washington Post reported new results from the largest, most authoritative assessment of child rearing in the United States illustrating that low-quality care in the first few years of a child's life can have a small but long-lasting impact on learning and behavior.

This federally funded study has tracked more than 1,300 children since 1991, finding that obedience and academic problems among children who received low-quality child care in their first 4 1/2 years of life persisted through age 15, suggesting the potential for lifelong difficulties.

Experts praised the findings, saying they "underscore the urgent need for local, state and federal governments, employers and others to improve access to high-quality child care."

This study lends further credibility to the work that CFNC accomplishes, led by the motto "education is not a luxury, it is a necessity." We believe that if you care about preventing crime, ending poverty, or closing the achievement gap, then you should care about providing early childhood education for children living in poverty.

CFNC Selected for Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington

2010-07-15T07:15:00.001-07:00

The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington recently announced that CFNC has been selected to be featured in the 2010-11 Catalogue. A panel of 100 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, peer nonprofit organizations, and the DC government evaluated nearly 250 applications; CFNC is one of 70 outstanding nonprofits to be featured this year. "Charities were selected for excellence, cost-effectiveness, and impact," Barbara Harman, President and Editor of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington said. "These are certainly among the best community-based nonprofits in the Washington region." The Catalogue enables smaller nonprofits, like CFNC, to tell their stories to individuals who would otherwise never hear them, and to encourage those individuals to get engaged and to give. It also provides charities with a stamp of approval that tells donors they can invest with confidence because the Catalogue vets its family of nonprofits with great care.

To request a catalogue, visit the home page of the Catalogue website at www.cfp-dc.org and look for the "request a catalogue" link in the blue banner at the bottom of the screen.

2010 Multicultural Celebration

2010-07-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

CFNC's annual Multicultural Celebration took place on Monday, May 24 at CFNC's Birchmere location. The event is typically held at the end of the school year to recognize and celebrate the diversity of CFNC's families who hail from 17 countries worldwide - from El Salvador to Pakistan to Bulgaria.

This year, more than 200 families participated in the variety of festive activities, including pony rides, face painting, a petting zoo, a clown, and an exciting raffle. Families, staff and volunteers also enjoyed a pot luck lunch featuring a delicious traditional dish from each country represented.

Be sure to check out the Photo Galleries at www.cfnc-online.org for more!

The Best Investment America Can Make

2009-10-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

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Preschool A Matter of National Security

2009-09-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

On September 1, 2009, Mission Readiness - a bipartisan, nonprofit, national security organization of more than 80 retired generals and admirals - released a report at the Virginia State Capitol that concludes: "Our national security in the year 2030 is absolutely dependent upon what is going on in pre-kindergarten today."

The report begins with a startling statistic: "75 percent of Americans aged 17 to 24 are ineligible to serve our military." The top three reasons for this - inadequate education, criminality, and weight problems - "are serious and - if left unaddressed - will adversely affect the strength of our military."

The report goes on to highlight the 40 plus years of research that demonstrate that quality early education increases graduation rates and cuts crime, successfully addressing two of the three crucial problems that threaten our national security. For example, did you know that research studies have found that:
*Quality early education increases graduation rates by as much as 44 perecent;
*By the age of 18, inner-city children left out of preschool programs were 70 percent more likely than children with preschool to be arrested for a violent crime;
*Individual children who grow up to drop out of school, abuse drugs, and become career criminals cost society, on average, over 2.5 million dollars each;
*Because the various costs to society incurred by some of the at-risk kids can be so high, research shows that the benefits of investing in high-quality early childhood education for at-risk kids far outweighs the costs. One cost benefit study found that the net savings from investing in early education was $244,811 per child.

READ THE FULL REPORT and find out about the next steps for Virginia.

CFNC Expands Services to Additional 36 Low-Income Families

2009-09-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago Louise entered our Birchmere center with a big smile on her face. She was excited because she had just heard that CFNC was re-opening two classrooms in the Charles Houston Recreation Center that had been closed for several years due to building renovations. The second she heard the news, she ran over to enroll her daughter because she knew from past experience that her daughter would receive the kind of high quality preschool experience that is typically only available for families who can afford to pay for it.

As she filled out enrollment forms, she told us about her son, a former student at CFNC, who is flourishing in school and loves the arts, which she said began in our preschool classroom eight years ago. Speaking of her son’s experience, Louise said, “His teachers were always telling me that I had to come into class to see his latest work.” As a young, single mother, she recalled how much it meant to her to be able to leave her only child at a safe and caring preschool while she went to work. Without CFNC, she had no other affordable option for her son. Today, eight years later, “he plans to be so many things: an artist, an architect, and an animator. I really attribute this to the center, because he spent so much time there at such an early age.”

CFNC expanded its free preschool programming to residents of Alexandria’s Charles Houston neighborhood in 1987. In 2006, these programs were suspended due to a planned major renovation of the Charles Houston Recreation Center. After three years, the renovations are complete! On September 8th, CFNC will re-open two classrooms at the center that will provide 36 low-income families with free preschool and family support services, increasing the total number of families served by CFNC from 157 in FY2009 to 193 in FY2010.

“Getting my daughter a place at CFNC is really a huge blessing for me because I’ve just started a new job,” Louise said. “Sending her to daycare would have been a huge out-of-pocket expense, and she still would not have had the benefit of qualified teachers with the ability to teach her through play.”

Charles Houston remains one of Alexandria’s neediest neighborhoods. 19% of Charles Houston residents live below 100% of poverty (compared to 7% city-wide); 35% live below 185% of poverty (compared to 20% city-wide); 20% of adults of have less than a high school diploma (compared to 13% city-wide); and 30% are African American (compared to 20% city-wide).

CFNC’s expansion is made possible by an increase in state funding through the Virginia Preschool Initiative and individual giving through our 25th Anniversary Benefit, as well as by the continued generous support of the City of Alexandria, the Freddie Mac Foundation, BAE Systems, Land & Armaments, the Cafritz Foundation, Bright Horizons Foundation for Children, and numerous other foundations and corporations. We would also like to extend a special note of thanks to Josh Dickinson, Larry Green, Jr., Andriy Harmatiy, Nicole McManus, Allen Sager, and Brendon Weiss - graduate students at the University of Maryland, for organizing a wonderful happy hour fundraiser last spring to benefit our two new Charles Houston classrooms.

Despite CFNC’s expansion this year, we are still not able to serve all of the children who need our programs. With a full enrollment of 193 children, CFNC still has over 90 children on our wait list.

CFNC’s Family Services Helps Families Make Gains

2009-07-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

When people think of The Child and Family Network Centers, preschool is typically the word that comes to mind, for good reason. Each year, CFNC provides nationally accredited preschool, free of charge, to nearly 200 children living in poverty, preparing them for success in school and in life. Yet CFNC also provides an array of family support services, including ESL classes, job placement services, and health services that give children what they need most: strong, healthy, stable families to nurture and support them in their journey through school and life.

The situations of the parents CFNC served this year were generally similar to years past, including poverty, limited English proficiency, lack of knowledge about how to access services, and lack of confidence in partnering in their child's education. However, this year also yielded a significant increase in the number of unemployed parents, likely due to the current recession. CFNC’s social workers, each with an average case load of 60 families, spent more time helping parents secure jobs, gain training to be more competitive in the job marketplace, and/or avoid or overcome foreclosure on their homes.

The results from these initiatives indicate a successful approach. Forty-one parents gained employment (compared to 14 one year earlier, an increase of nearly 200%); 20 parents enrolled in educational or job training programs (compared to 13 one year earlier, an increase of 54%); and 21 parents obtained appropriate housing (compared to 9 one year earlier, an increase of 133%). Additionally, 13 families in crisis situations who were unable to meet their basic needs from outside agencies received the support they needed from CFNC’s Family Services to maintain stable households for their children. By the end of year, 157 parents set and achieved at least one goal that led to improved parenting skills, a more stable home environment, gains in English literacy, and/or employment (61 of these parents achieved two goals and 63 achieved three or more goals).

To give CFNC’s social workers more time to focus on non-employment-related family needs, The Herb Block Foundation has provided a grant to fund a part-time, on-site job placement coach. The position, beginning this fall, will enable CFNC to provide more employment-related services, including workshops that promote soft (interviewing, timeliness, work ethic, etc.) and hard (resume writing and computer literacy) skills critical to securing and keeping a job.

Our Kids are Prepared!

2009-07-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Every single one of the kids that graduated from the CFNC this year went home with a new backpack chock full of useful things. Its hard to believe that in this day and age that many children are in a position where they would go to school without adequate supplies.

However, thanks to Klutz, who donated well over 150 backpacks, the Saint Stephens and Saint Agnes School Brownie Troop, who donated a box full of supplies, and donors at our yearly gala, we were able to give all of our kids backpacks stuffed with glue, pens, sanitizers, and more. Our teachers gave them the social and mental tools they need to succeed, and now they have the materials to follow through.

Donations to fund these backpacks only came in increments of $25. It just goes to show you that every little bit counts!

Heath Gordon

Acumen Solutions to the Rescue

2009-06-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

We are so impressed and pleased with the outcomes from our volunteer project with Acumen Solutions. Over two days and ten hours of physical labor, Acumen Solutions employees built a new shed, completed an outdoor walkway, and built a new cover for our sandbox. Each of these acts will improve the quality of service we are able to provide to low-income families.

The shed was a monstrous project, made all the more difficult by the most arcane, asinine set of directions ever written. In fact, one group had already tried to assemble the shed one year prior to this volunteer project. The shed sat for one year in ruins under a tarp on our playground, and would have remained there for all eternity had it not been for a few brave souls at Acumen Solutions. It required not only an ironclad determination to decipher the instructions, but also an extra trip to Home Depot and three more hours than had been originally been planned. The team that worked on the shed braved the longer work period, a fierce assault of mosquitoes, and a nearly sweltering day. In the end, they defeated my arch-nemesis. For the all the bad talk about the shed, it will really benefit the children at our Birchmere center. With the shed now assembled, we will be able to purchase more outdoor toys and equipment (such as hot wheels, easels, water tables and balls) to promote the healthy physical development of the young children in our care. Plus, playing outside is just plain fun! Before the shed, we were limited in the number of outdoor toys and equipment we could have because (1) we could not leave them outside for fear they would be stolen and (2) we did not have the space indoors to store them. So thanks to our volunteers we will now be able to provide even more outdoor activities for our children!

Our volunteers also built a new cover for our sandbox. Each year, we have to replace the sandbox cover as it becomes warped by the rain and sun over the course of the school year. When it becomes warped, it no longer keeps the rain and animals out of the sandbox. This year, our team of Acumen Solutions volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty in an effort to create a more sturdy cover for the sandbox. They also painted the cover with a protective seal to keep out the moisture. It is my hope that their added efforts will keep our sand dry and in good condition for the children for a longer period of time.

Finally, our volunteers completed an outdoor walkway that connects the path leading from the back of our facility to the front door. The families we serve all live within walking distance of our center, and many take this path to get their children to our front door. During rainy days, the uncompleted portion of this path became a pool of mud, making for a messy trip to and from our program. This meant our families got dirty and our classrooms got dirty as all that mud was tracked in from outside. It may seem like a small thing, but completing the walkway improves the quality of everyone's experience by creating a cleaner, more professional environment for our families and program staff members. Not having to constantly clean the floors or children's shoes and clothes means more time can be spent providing quality services.

Again, it was a tremendously successful volunteer project. We are all thrilled by the outcomes and so appreciative of the time and talents given by our team of Acumen Solutions volunteers.

With Sincere Gratitude,

Ryan and the CFNC family

The Gift of Gratitude

2009-01-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

We recently received a thank you note from one of our parents, and we wanted to share it with you. Enjoy, and know that as our supporter and friend, you are part of an organization that truly makes a difference in the lives of families in need.

from December 18, 2008

"Hi,I'm a parent of Gian Carlo Daproza,one of the students that your organization is helping. He's currently attending at Cora Kelly Recreational Center.
My name is Rosita-Nitz Daproza. I'm emailing just to show how our family and I are so very grateful for what your organization have done for us.. From having us celebrate the Thanksgiving Holidays with peace with the help of the food you've provided our family,I personally is very thankful. Now, for having to provide my children gifts to open for Christmas and for our gift also. Our family is really going through one of the toughest time right now...my husband is trying his hardest to make ends meet but since our economy got hit really hard the company he is now working for decided to cut their hours and its been really hard for us. While fulfilling his duty to his ill mother who is diagnosed with kidney failure and going through her weekly dialysis...
So,every blessing that my family and I are receiving is very much appreciated...

Again, Thank You so very much for all the help that your organization have done for my family and I...

Sincerely,

Rosita- Nitz P. Daproza"

Cinderella's Dress

2009-01-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

Sergio is a four-year-old student in our program and he is in Ms. Tonya’s and Ms. Ana’s class at our Birchmere site in Alexandria. He is bright and very funny…a big ham! His sister, Heidi, was one of our preschool students and now she is in second grade. She gets excellent grades and enjoys singing and creating any kind of artwork. I have one of her drawings in my office. Today Heidi came with her Mom to pick up her brother, Sergio. She was all dressed up in what Sergio calls her “Cinderella dress” because she sang in a holiday assembly at school today. She explained to me that she and her classmates performed songs in English, Spanish and even Japanese, and then – to my delight - she demonstrated a couple of the songs! It was gratifying to see her self-assured demeanor, and to take a little credit on behalf of CFNC, for her continued success in school and life.

I love working in a setting where I often have the opportunity and pleasure to see and talk with our former students and their parents at various points along the way and see how well they and their families are doing. I encounter our former students in the public schools in which we have classrooms and in CFNC’s Birchmere site where my office is located if they have a younger sibling enrolled in our program. I also see them in Arlandria, the Birchmere’s neighborhood, where my husband and I also live. What a gift and a joy!

by Donna Bain

Helping Parents Connect to Their Children

2008-12-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

Every semester bilingual Program Officer Corrin Chambers from the Reading Connections comes to the Family Literacy classroom to teach parents how to read with their children. Every time she covers a different aspect of reading and shows the parents how to do it. The first session in October she talked about bilingual books and during the second session she talked about wordless books where parent and child can make up their own stories.

The parents love coming to these classes because they not only learn new reading techniques but receive free books for their children as well. This way they can immediately apply what they have learned in class.

I follow up on these classes by talking about what was taught and by having the parents read the books out loud in class. I make sure that everything is understood and that the parents are reading the books using the new techniques at home.

by Eugenie Ballering, M.Ed.
Family Literacy Instructor

Thanks for a Thankless Task

2008-12-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

Every year we send out a holiday card to all of our supporters wishing them a joyous season from our staff and board members and the families who have benefited from their generosity throughout the year. Sending out over 2,000 hand addressed holiday cards is no small task. This year we were fortunate to have employees from Reed Technology, students from the Art Institute, and one member of Westminster Presbyterian Church volunteer their time to help us hand address, stamp and stuff the holiday cards. For anyone who ever participated in a large mailing, this kind of work has its own way of leaving you feeling a little drained at the end of the day. It is often a thankless act of generosity that goes unnoticed - but not this year. We are so thankful for the hours each of these groups gave to help us send out our holiday cards. Their hard work enabled program staff members to focus more of their time where it is needed most: at work with the 150+ children and families benefiting from our services.

Media Coverage in India

2008-12-01T13:38:00.001-08:00

This past week we were contacted by Aunshuman Apte from Voice of America who, after reading the article in the Washington Post, wanted to do a story on the impact of current financial crisis on our programs. After inteviewing our senior managers, they spent time in each classroom. They asked almost every child (because the children loved to be on camera) what they wanted to be when they grow up. They got, as you can imagine, some priceless answers. My personal favorites were: "a butterfly" and "a princess who is stuck in a castle." One the mind boggling aspects of this whole story is the number of people who will view it. The news story will be broadcast in India, and the television station has a viewship of 25 million!

Reason for Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

Recent media coverage in the Washington Post and USA Today have highlighted that this has been a particularly difficult year for CFNC. Despite the hardships that we, like many other non-profits, are facing this year, it is good to pause and recognize the numerous reasons we have for thanksgiving. I would like to share with you three recent acts of good will and generosity for which we at CFNC give thanks this holiday season.

A Call From New York

On the same day the first article highlighting the impact of the economic crisis on our organization appeared in the USA Today, Barbara received a phone call from a man in New York City. He had read the article in the USA Today and wanted to help us continue our programs that benefit young children living in poverty. He told Barbara, after what felt like a very long game of phone tag, that he would like to donate $20,000 to our programs to help out in this difficult time! Many things are remarkable about this gift, and the one that strikes me most is the distance between where this man was calling from, and where the children lived who he was reaching out to help.

Coming to the Rescue...with Turkeys

Each year, CFNC receives turkey dinners from McLean Bible Church and Westminster Presbyterian to distribute to our families the weekend before Thanksgiving. However, this year, due to the difficult economic times, there were not enough turkeys for all of the families we serve. John Herrity at Alexandria Chevrolet found out about this need and brought it to the attention of the owner Steve Niswander. They decided to buy the 60 turkeys we needed to make sure every family this Thanksgiving received one! When asked why they decided to buy the turkeys, Mr. Herrity replied, "We are very big on supporting children in this city, and we have been for the last 3 years, aggressively. Things are tight for everybody but when it comes to something like this, it is hard to say no."

Every Little Bit Helps

This last story is a reminder that the size of the gift is not what matters most--it is the spirit in which it is given. Following our most recent media coverage in The Washington Post, we received a letter in the mail from a woman who read the story, and was moved out of compassion for the children we serve to give what she could. In the letter she wrote, "I hope the enclosed small amount can be used toward your shortfall. I have a daughter who teaches 2nd grade in a Title 1 school in North Carolina and through her, know the importance of a good start for at-risk children. I hope other read the article and make a donation--every little bit helps!"

And every bit--every donation, every in-kind donatin, every hour a person volunteers--every act of love and generosity helps us provide high-quality, free preschool and family support services to children and their families living in poverty. So to all of you who have supported our programs this year and in years past, thank you! The children we serve depend upon your generosity, and for nearly 25 years now generous people have ensured that young, at-risk children have the support they need to succeed in school and life.

Volunteer Spotlight: Katherine Milliner

2008-12-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

We are finding that one of the main reasons why parents stop attending our ESL program is because they find the class too challenging or not advanced enough to meet their needs. To deal address this issue we have changed the structure of our ESL program from 4 days of classes per week (with 2 beginner classes and 1 intermediate class per day) to 3 days of classes and 2 days of small group tutoring per week. This allows us not only to offer 5 full days of literacy programming as opposed to 4, but also to meet our parents where they are at in terms of their literacy level. We are hopeful that these changes will help us increase our retention rate with parents by up to 50% so that more parents improve their literacy levels by year’s end than anticipated. We currently have 105 parents participating in our classes!

This change in the structure of our ESL/Family Literacy program depends upon talented volunteers to lead our small group tutoring sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. One woman who has been giving her time and talents each week to help us better serve our families literacy needs is Katherine Milliner (pictured above).

What brought you to volunteer at CFNC?

Katherine: I came here from Idaho. My husband is working with the President's Malaria Initiative for a couple of years. So here I was with time on my hands and looking for something useful to do. I went on the Internet, found your organization, and you welcomed me with open arms. I called and was invited to come in.

Education is my background, so this was a good fit for me. It was an amazing thing because I was able to step right in. In terms of you being open to receiving me into the fold and letting me help in a way that I could was lovely.

Tell me about your experience so far volunteering with our ESL program.

Katherine: It has been delightful...I was also taking Spanish classes, which was a really humbling experience, and that was one of the reasons I felt I need to do something to help those on the other side of this because I know how much I am struggling. I have support, and I have books, and I have everything at my disposal...I have also lived over seas so I know what it is like not to be able to communicate.

My experience has been I come here for an hour and a half on Thursdays to a room full of eager, enthusiastic, happy women, whose needs are met. They have deposited their children with you, and they are anxious to learn. Their camaraderie is great. Their reception of me has been phenomenal...We just have a good time.

Has there been any one moment so far that stands out in your mind?

Katherine: I think for me the most touching thing is if I am asking a woman to speak who doesn't even have a strong voice for herself in her native language, and she is brave enough to try and say the words in a foreign language. If we can create an atmosphere where she is willing to try it, it is a beautiful moment. And there are lots of those little beautiful moments.

Old Presbyterian Meeting House Donates Clothes

2008-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

Each year, Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Alexandria donates clothes and coats for our children and families. This month they donated more than 20 bags of clothes for our families! Pictured to the left is one of our preschool students who benefited from the donation. She is sporting her new coat which could not have come at better time as it turned much cooler this week and this young girl needed a jacket to play on the playground. Special thanks goes to Lisa McGonigle who coordinated the event for the Old Presbyterian Meeting House. You can learn more about OPMH here.

USA TODAY Features CFNC: It's a tough time to be a charity

2008-10-31T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Monday cover story of USA TODAY's Money section (read here) described the economic crisis as setting off "tremors among non-profits" as foundations and corporations cut back their philanthropic giving. These tremors have already reached us in so many ways, most notably and currently with our pending $350,000 grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation, as highlighted in the article.

We are so grateful for the generous support Freddie Mac has consistently shown CFNC each year since the foundation's inception, and we count on this yearly support to sustain us until winter revenue streams arrive from our holiday mailings and other grants. However, without these funds (or if they are drastically reduced), it will likely mean that we will have to close two classrooms, serving 32 families. This means that 32 children will lose their access to free early childhood education, will have to enter kindergarten unprepared and behind from the start, and that their parents will be forced to make the difficult decision between work and leaving their child in situations that are likely not in the child's best interest.

What you can do to help. All children in this community need and deserve high-quality early childhood education. Here are two ways you can help us to meet this urgent community need:

1. Invest in a Child's Education. With the current state of our economy, investing in our children through early childhood education is perhaps the soundest, surest investment you can make. Studies have shown that the return on investment is actually higher than the stock market (even in the best of times). Supporting our free preschool today means lower rates of violent crime, poverty, and incarceration, and higher rates of home ownership and high school graduation, which benefit us all as this generation reaches adulthood. To make an investment in CFNC, just click on the link at the start of this paragraph.

2. Share this newsletter. During these tough times, it is going to take a whole village of donors giving what they can to make up for the loss of larger philanthropic gifts from corporations and foundations hit hard by this crisis. Take a moment to think of people you know who might be interested in learning more about CFNC, and share this article with them or encourage them to learn more about us on our website.

CFNC Opens New Classroom in Arlington

2008-10-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

In November, CFNC will be opening a new classroom in Arlington that will provide 16 children with free, accredited preschool. The classroom will be located at AHC, Inc.'s new affordable housing complex, The Gates of Ballston. AHC is a private, nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the mid-Atlantic region that provides quality homes for low- and moderate-income families. AHC is providing the classroom space rent-free for the first year.

As the cost of living continues to rise and wages continue to decline during these difficult economic times, many low and moderate income families simply cannot afford to own a home. By partnering with AHC, CFNC is able to provide low-income residents with a safe, nurturing environment for their young children. Many low-income families do not own cars, so providing high-quality preschool and family support services where they live reduces the barriers these families face.

Our expansion into The Gates of Ballston is part of a growing partnership with AHC. In 2005, we opened our first AHC-based classroom at Virginia Gardens in South Arlington, which will also serve 16 families this year. This past weekend, The Gates of Ballston celebrated the opening of their new community center in which our classroom is located (pictured above). Our Executive Director, Barbara Mason, and our board member, Barbara Favola, were part of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

You can learn more about AHC,Inc. here.

Boeing Employees Give Back

2008-10-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, Boeing employees braved the rain and wind in order to help us paint our family resource room and build a shed on the playground at our Birchmere center. Undeterred by the weather conditions, they labored for five hours to improve the facilities of our Birchmere center which this year serves 54 families living in poverty. When asked what brought them out on a cool, wet day to paint and build, each of the volunteers, in their own way, cited the same reason: a desire "to give back."

The shed Boeing employees helped construct will be used to store playground equipment and outdoor toys, such as tricycles, easels, and hulahoops. The family resource room will serve as a place where parents can gain information about community resources and access the internet to search for jobs, etc.

Boeing has been a true champion for early childhood education in this region, and has been one of our major supporters over the past decade. This year, they have awarded CFNC two grants: one to purchase fundraising software that will increase the capacity of our development team, and another to fund our early childhood education programming. You can learn more about Boeing's philanthropic activities here.

Special thanks goes to Oris Davis, Joe Fore, and Dale Rainville.

Moms with Cancer

2008-10-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

We currently serve two children whose mothers have recently been diagnosed with cancer. Both mothers are single parents and are currently hospitalized. Neither woman has health insurance. One of women was informed at hospital that had she waited much longer she would have died. The other woman was told that following her treatments she would need to take a medication that costs $2,000 for one prescription. Joint efforts have found funds for one prescription, but the woman worries what will happen if she needs additional prescriptions. Both will unlikely be able to return to work anytime in the near future.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can help these mothers in their battle against cancer, please contact our Director of Family Support Services, Blanca Leyva at 703-836-0214.

Reports from the Field

2008-10-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

The following reports come from CFNC's Family Support Services team that includes three social workers, an ESL instructor, and a Nurse Practitioner:

I recently visited a family of recent immigrants whose child is enrolled in one of our preschool programs. The parents have two young girls, both of whom were born in the US. During my visit, the father expressed concern about the feasibility of remaining in Virginia given the current anti-immigrant climate. After expressing interest in participating in one of our immigration information workshops, and while talking about ways to support their children’s education, I asked them what they saw in their daughters’ futures; what did they see their girls’ doing 15 years from now? Both parents looked at me dumbfounded. They had not thought that many years ahead. After thinking hard, the father sadly stated that they had been so concerned with their everyday struggles that they had not taken the time to consider their daughters’ futures. With tears in his eyes he said he wanted to see them with a career, living a better life. I pointed out to him that his daughters could achieve that because as American citizens they could attend college through scholarships. Neither parent thought that could be a possibility for their children. I encouraged them that it was not too early to begin speaking with their daughters about the importance of education, so that they could begin fostering a belief and expectation in their daughters that college was a part of their future. I also encouraged them to attend our immigration workshops in order to keep informed on what they could do to resolve their immigration status.

A mother, whose daughter was enrolled in our program last year, came into the office to ask for assistance with her daughter’s Kindergarten homework assignment. As we provided her with assistance, she informed us that her daughter’s Kindergarten teacher was very pleased with her daughter’s performance in school. The teacher asked her about her childcare prior to entering Kindergarten. The mother informed the teacher that her daughter had been attending CFNC. The teacher went on to tell the mother that she was very impressed with her daughter and that she was very impressed with CFNC and how well they prepared children for Kindergarten.

When I met recently with a single mother of one of our students, she expressed excitement about her son’s opportunity to attend preschool. As a low-income, single mother who receives no assistance from her son’s father, high-quality preschool would have been impossible for her son without CFNC. During my visit, she said she was concerned about her son’s speech development, and that he was supposed to have been evaluated but she had never been able to set up the appointment for him. She was also concerned about not working enough hours to support her son and wanted to find a full-time job that would allow her to drop off and pick up her son from school. Based on her two major concerns, we set two goals: one, to get her son the help he needed regarding speech development, and two, to find a full-time job. Together we listed ideas of where she could look for a job, and how best to seek employment. Following my visit, she met me at my office and filled out the required forms for her son to be evaluated for developmental delays. She also brought job applications in and we filled them out together. Now, just three weeks into the school year, she has completed her first two goals: Her son has been referred to a speech therapist and she has a new, full-time job that is very close to her home and allows her to drop off and pick up her son each day.

18-year-old A. came to CFNC’s Family Literacy class in the fall of 2005 and stayed for one year. She was an eager student and loved communicating with others. She found a job in the summer of 2006 at a Travel Agency and a catering service and wasn't able to attend classes the next fall. This past week, two years after I had last seen her, she came in to register herself and her sister-in-law for our ESL classes. She told me that she really wants to improve her English and that this was a good time to do it. She is four months pregnant and she quit her two jobs. I tested her and found that she had maintained most of the gain she made two years ago as a participant in our program. In fact, I noticed that she was using the present tense correctly when I asked her about her daily schedule. I was thrilled to hear that because teaching the different verb tenses is a continuous challenge in my classes. Most of my students typically use only one verb tense when they describe their actions in the past, future and present. She had remembered my lessons on daily schedules and other present tense applications.
She also told me that she had tutored her sister-in-law, and now wants to learn English so she can get a better job. Her goal is to get her GED in English and go to a community college to learn a profession. I am sure she'll learn a lot in the coming four months before her baby arrives. She might even come back after the delivery. Maria Lara, the CFNC babysitter, is fantastic and A. should have no problem leaving her little one with her. I feel confident that she will be ready to raise her child in America and will find a good job to support her family. -

Shop for Groceries and Help Children in Poverty

2008-08-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

SAFEWAY

The “Safeway 10% Back to Schools” promotion shopping period starts on August 6th and ends on September 9th. Your participation can mean hundreds of dollars for our group. Last year, the top group in the nation earned over $20,000 in just 6 weeks!

Sign up today!
1)Have your Safeway card available.
2)Visit Escrip website by clicking on the title above
3)Click on “1-Sign Up”
4)Choose “Child and Family Network” or Group ID 500004246
5)Present your Club Card every time you shop and our group earns!

It’s Easy to Renew! If you participated last year, don’t forget to renew to continue earning Safeway contributions.

1)Have your Safeway card available
2)Visit Escrip website by clicking on the title above
3)Click on “YES RENEW”

HARRIS TEETER

Help get our new school year off to a good start by enrolling in the Harris Teeter and the Together in Education program. Starting Aug. 1, 2008 it is time to RELINK your VIC card or link it to CFNC for the first time! Re-linking is easy with one of the following methods:
(1) Call Customer Service at 1-800-423-6111
(2) The register at checkout
(3) Visit harristeeter.com, click on Together in Education Select The Child and Family Network Centers (#6467) to earn money for our programs serving children and their families living in poverty. Thanks!

Steps for Life

2008-08-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

This past Spring CFNC experimented with a 6-week pilot pedometer walking program for parents called, Steps For Life, or Pasos Para Vivir. Eugenie Ballering, the Family Literacy Instructor, and I decided to offer the program first to those parents who were enrolled in our English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes. I received a mini-grant from a professional organization I belong to, the Northern Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, to purchase anything needed to implement the program. Fortunately, Pfizer, Inc. donated pedometers, and the mini-grant funds were then able to be used for wonderful incentives. At the suggestion of a volunteer who was originally from a Latin American country, Eugenie and I chose incentives that would be culturally acceptable, and also would encourage the parents to be active with their families, such as kits containing outdoor games such as badminton, tether-ball and volleyball, DVD’s teaching dance as exercise, jump ropes, chalk for sidewalk games such as hopscotch, and more…

With the help of a bilingual English-Spanish volunteer interpreter, I was able to cover many more sophisticated concepts during class time than I could have if I had to do it all only in English. Many of our ESL students are at the beginner’s level in English. We covered such concepts as “SMART” (specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-bound) goals and goal setting, activity level (sedentary vs. various levels of activity), motivation, incentives (personal/internal vs. tangible/external), self-confidence, determination, and readiness to change. We spent a lot of time understanding the connections between personal behaviors, such as being more active, and health status, such as blood pressure level, weight, chronic illness, etc.

During our pedometer program, 24 parents used a pedometer as a wellness tool; 16 parents consistently kept track of their steps per day, formulated personal and/or family fitness and wellness goals, and began making progress toward those goals over the course of the 6 weeks. All received incentives and rewards throughout the program to help keep them motivated and active.

Some amazing outcomes resulted from this pilot program. One parent, who’d been experiencing daily headaches, was found to have very high blood pressure, and I referred her to a local clinic for further evaluation and treatment. She was immediately given medication to treat high blood pressure, and I counseled her about healthy lifestyle choices that would further help her to decrease her blood pressure, and might reduce her dependence on medication over time. Her involvement in Steps for Life directly resulted in this positive change for her life. Other parents began to lose weight, changed their eating habits to match their more healthy activity level, increased the amount of time they stretch and/or the number of steps they walk each day and drank more water. All participants set new fitness and wellness goals for themselves and/or their children. It was very exciting to see these healthy changes and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this with them. Our parents are very inspiring!

by Donna Bain, Manager of Health Services

A Story 25 Years In The Making

2008-08-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

In their September issue, Real Simple Magazine will highlight the story of Barbara Mason's 25 year journey helping thousands of children living in poverty and the one board member, Dagobert Soergel, who has been with her from the start. In fact, Dagobert not only has been a board member from day one, he also wrote the newspaper ad that Barbara answered 25 years ago that offered a chance to make a difference in the life of a child. The story focuses on how together Barbara and Dagobert grew a nationally accredited organization that now provides nearly 200 children from low income families with free preschool every year. It is quite a story. Check it out when it hits news stands later this month. What a great way to kick off our 25th Anniversary which begins this spring!

ESL Student's Leadership Makes A Difference

2008-05-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 14th at 6:00 pm a contingent of CFNC children, parents, ESL students and staff, converged on City Hall to ask the City Council to allocate surplus money to the Children’s Fund so that CFNC could continue to provide much needed services to Alexandria's low-income residents.

Approximately 25 children and parents met at our main office to show their support of CFNC's commitment to children and families. CFNC staff planned to use taxicabs to transport everyone; however, Andrea Sierra Aguilar rallied everyone to carpool so that CFNC would not have to incur any expenses. Her leadership was a success, and parents who had cars transported others to and from the event.

Andrea Sierra Aguilar is one of my oldest continuing clients. I first met her in 2001 when I started working here. She had started ESL classes at the old Presidential Greens site. Through the years, she attended English classes, as she was able per her work schedule. At present, she has gained enough command of the English language to get a better position in her job, and to be able to volunteer at our Birchmere center in our preschool classes. Andrea is so proud of being able to give back that she even designed and wears a CFNC volunteer badge. Andrea is a perfect example of an immigrant woman’s desire to better herself and attain the American Dream.

by Blanca Leyva, Director of Family Support Services

Magic Moments

2008-05-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 12th 5th grade students from St. Stephens/St. Agnes performed a magic show for children at CFNC's Birchmere center. Enjoy the video of the American Flag trick and please forgive my shaky hands. Next time I will film from a steadier surface. For a small photo gallery of the magic show click here. The children absolutely loved the magic show, evident at the end of the short video! Thank you very much to all of the students. What a show!

A Normal Day at the Playground

2008-04-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

We focus a lot on the educational benefits of quality preschool programming for children living in poverty (e.g. that kids from low-income families with preschool experience do better in school and ultimately in life than those who do not have the opportunity to attend preschool). However, it is also important to take time to highlight that children love preschool. They love learning. They love playing in a safe environment where they run around with abunch of children their age and scream! This is one of the things we provide to children on a daily basis that they may not othewise be able to partake in with the same sense of safety and adult supervision. Now that it is spring, we couldn't resist sharing with you how cute these kids are on our playground. For a web album with more pictures from a normal day at the playground click here. Enjoy!

Mom's Learning Too!

2008-04-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ana Paniagua from El Salvador joined our ESL classes in September 2007. She has one daughter, Yosselyn, who is in one of CFNC's preschool classes. Anna tested as a beginning ESL Literacy student when she started ESL. That means that she could only understand a few isolated words, and extremely simple learned phrases. Her vocabulary was limited to a few isolated words and she had no control of grammar.

Anna has been coming to the ESL classes regularly after she drops her daughter off in the morning. She has gradually become more comfortable in English. She has started helping other students in the class. She has told me how she uses learned vocabulary with her daughter. She reads the books she has read in class with her. She sings nursery rhymes with her and she volunteers in her daughter’s class.

She volunteered to read an English children’s book in her daughter’s class. She had received the book through the Reading Connection which had given a reading workshop in our ESL class. She had learned how to use rhyming words when reading to a child. She did exactly that when she read the book in her daughter’s class. She also acted the story out and she asked the preschoolers questions. The children loved it and her daughter was beaming with pride (they are both pictured above).

After 60 hours of ESL instruction she took a post ESL test. She became a High Intermediate ESL which means that she can now understand simple learned phrases easily, and can participate in basic conversations in a few very routine social situations. She has now some control of basic grammar.

By Eugenie Ballering, ESL Instructor

What Does Success Smell Like?

2008-04-04T08:43:00.000-07:00

Peggy Ashbrook, who developed our Preschool Science! program, recently taught CFNC kids to explore their sense of smell. She writes of this picture, "Children and teachers [are] gathering and recording the data from their activity: using their sense of smell to understand that people have different favorite smells."

For more pictures from our Preschool Science! program, click here.

It is an unfortunate truth that children living in poverty – particularly minority children – are less likely to excel in the fields of math and science and thus are less likely to have careers in math, science and technology. Early childhood programs must effectively engage children in math and science in order to close this achievement gap because, as the President of Chicago’s Erickson Institute argues, “the roots of later competence [in math and science] are established long before school age.”

Our Preschool Science! program ensures that our children have the pre-math and pre-science skills they will need. Preschool Science!, taught twice a month in every classroom, is designed to encourage our children to observe the details of the natural world, laying the foundation for their excitement of the discovery process and perception of themselves as young scientists. By participating in the Preschool Science! curriculum, the nearly 200 children who attend our programs will be prepared to succeed in the science education programs they will encounter in elementary school and beyond.

Our New Website

2008-03-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

Some of you hopefully noticed that we recently overhauled our website. The new website was made possible by Pixels and Ink's generous in-kind donation of their time, talents and resources through their Gift of Design. We are thankful that we live and labor in a community with businesses like Pixels and Ink that are committed to giving their time and talents in service to those most in need. I am confident you will all agree that their design team did an excellent job and hope you will join with me in congratulating and thanking them for their hard work!

A couple of notes on the website: I would like to point your attention to the home page: when you refresh the page or return to it, you will see that the photos, quotes, and key supporters change. Also, you will notice that several sections remain under construction and for the next couple of weeks we will be working to finalize each section of the website. I encourage you to reply to this post if you notice any problems with the site's functionality, typos in website text, important information that is missing, etc. We will also be accepting praise for a job well done! I hope you will take the time to explore the website. On a final note, more names will be added to the supporters and partners sub pages in the upcoming days. I do not want anyone to feel that we have forgotten them or fail to appreciate their generous support. These next couple of weeks will be used to iron all of that out.

Posted By: Ryan Smith, Grantwriter

WELCOME

2008-03-27T18:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Child and Family Network Centers' new blog! The purpose of this blog is to share on a regular basis the stories and successes of our children, families, teachers and staff with our friends, partners, and supporters. We want you to have a better sense of the amazing things that occur here on a weekly basis. So I hope you will check back often.

Posted By: Ryan Smith, Grantwriter