A $10 million major gifts campaign by Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers

1. A $10 million major gifts campaign by Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers

2. Secure the future stability of one of the most respected providers of: Child care and early learning Comprehensive family support services Professional development for early childhood educators and family support professionals Serving Working Families since 1888

3. Each day, we provide early learning, child care and support services to more than 2,500 children and their families, regardless of income. Each year, we offer training, technical assistance and professional development to more than 4,000 early childhood and family support professionals. For decades, we have been transforming communities through research-based approaches to early learning, community building and family support services. Who We Are

4. Nationally Recognized • National Head Start Association Program of Excellence • Finalist for Managing for Excellence Award by The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta • An exemplary program for Engaging Diverse Families by the National Association of the Education of Young Children • A model program researched in The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Human Services Workforce Initiative • An exemplary program in the prevention of child abuse and neglect by the Center for the Study of Social Policy

5. Neuroscience research has shown that 85% of a child’s brain structure is developed by age 3. Early experiences can have a lasting impact on a child’s later learning, behavior and health. Children who attend high-quality, early learning programs demonstrate a 31% growth in vocabulary and an 85%increase in print awareness, which are the skills that produce successful readers. The Importance of Learning Early

6. A $1 investment in early learning today saves $17 in the future by: • Increasing school readiness • Lowering the prison population • Creating a more stable and educated workforce • Changing communities How the Community Benefits

7. Our Emulated Model… High-quality early care and education • On average, every Sheltering Arms child meets or exceeds 97% of milestones for each stage of development. Comprehensive support services for families • Families are connected to resources they need tosucceed including one-on-one counseling, educational advancement, job training and more.

8. …Our Emulated Model Professional development for early childhood and family support professionals • The Sheltering Arms Georgia Training Institute creates a more effective team of professionals on the front lines. Community-building partnerships and services • Centers serve as the anchor in community revitalization efforts, linking with school systems, public housing, social service agencies and more.

9. The demand and cost for Sheltering Arms services and facilities is growing at a faster rate than funding. Each year, Sheltering Arms must start over to raise 90% of its funding from 67 different sources. Such fragmented funding can undermine the effectiveness and continuity of services for the low-income working families who need them the most. The Challenge...

10. Recent state and federal decisions have resulted in a greater uncertainty about funding for Pre-K and Head Start programs. Local United Way support varies significantly from year to year as a result of changing priorities and overall campaign funding. …The Challenge

11. Tuition Scholarships for low-income, working families who don’t qualify for federal aid, but can’t afford to pay full tuition. Teacher Development and Retention for a well-educated, experienced and stable staff vital for healthy child development and success. Capital Support for expanded, best-in-class facilities with child development environments that meet stringent health and safety requirements, inspire learning and enrich communities. The Critical Needs

12. Teach Today Fund: Tuition Scholarships A permanent fund of $2,762,773 helps Sheltering Arms ensure consistent tuition support for families regardless of fluctuating funding sources.

13. Teach Today Fund: Tuition Scholarships Serving More Working Families • More families than ever are seeking support to help cover the average annual tuition of $10,000 per child. • On average, many Sheltering Arms families need a tuition scholarship of about $4,770 per child. • Even if a child is income-eligible for a coveted, subsidized slot at Sheltering Arms, the public subsidy only covers about 2/3 of the cost of service, leaving a gap of about $2,500 per child.

14. Teach Today Fund: Tuition Scholarships This is the projected funding gap for tuition scholarships.

15. Reach Tomorrow Fund: Teacher Development and Retention A permanent fund of $904,621 that supports teacher development, salaries and benefits can prevent the talent pool from leaving the classrooms that depend on them.

16. Reach Tomorrow Fund: Teacher Development and Retention Train and Retain the Best Teachers and Staff • Funders and regulators require higher teacher credentials without the commensurate increase in funding. • Support for the Sheltering Arms Georgia Training Institute will enable Sheltering Arms to train and certify its staff to useleading-edge, early education research and best practices. • Turnover for Sheltering Arms teachers has stayed at about half the national annual average (10% to 15% compared with 30% to 40%), but that rate is inching upwards.

17. Reach Tomorrow Fund: Teacher Development and Retention These are additional expenditures required for staff to earn mandated credentials combined with the commensurate increase in salaries and benefits.

18. Capital Support A permanent fund of $6,332,606 will help replace two aging facilities and maintain the other 14 facilities so they meet research-based standards for health, safety and education.

19. Expanded facilities could help Sheltering Arms serve some of the 4,254 children on the waiting list. An optimal facility serves 125 to 194 children in: 8 to 14 classrooms 16,000 to 25,000 square feet 2.5 to 3.5 acres for playgrounds and parking Capital Needs

20. Capital Costs These are the additional expenditures to replace the Duluth and Jonesboro centers and maintain the other 15 centers. The start-up cost for a state-of-the-art, cost-efficient center is $2.6 million to $3.8 million or about $165 per square foot.

21. More tuition scholarships for low-income, working families More educated, experienced early childhood teachers/staff More facilities equipped for children and families to learn and thrive More productive employees who aren’t distracted by child care issues More children prepared to become the workforce of tomorrow More revitalized communities with families that work Campaign Results

22. Help Us Teach Today toReach Tomorrow • “We’ve got to remember that we either invest in our children on the front end or pay dearly on the back end.” • -Glenda Hatchett, former chief judge for Georgia’s • Fulton County Juvenile Court