Bainum Family Foundation Backs Commitment to D.C. Infants and Toddlers With Creation of Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance, Initial Grants of $575,000

Bethesda, Maryland (January 11, 2016) – Following its December release of a powerful new report that details the obstacles facing infants and children in the District of Columbia, the Bainum Family Foundation has taken two additional steps as part of its five-year, $10 million commitment to improve early childhood across the District.

To ensure that early childhood needs in the District are identified and addressed in a collaborative and cohesive manner, the Foundation has launched a Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance that involves leading children’s policy, advocacy and service organizations. The Alliance will focus on increasing access to quality, comprehensive early childhood services and other supports for infants and toddlers and their families in DC, and ensuring that health, education, early learning and human services systems work in a coordinated fashion to improve outcomes for young children.

“We are partnering with organizations that understand how the first few years shape a child’s life and that share our commitment to achieving meaningful policy reforms and service improvements for D.C.’s most vulnerable children,” said Rozita Green, Chief Strategy Officer at the Bainum Family Foundation. “We’re committed to leading this effort, and we believe the District’s success in expanding health care and pre-K shows D.C. can improve the odds for infants and toddlers, if policymakers make them a priority.”

In addition, the Foundation has made initial grants totaling $575,000 to 11 organizations that will be part of the new Alliance. Grant recipients include:

American Academy of Pediatrics, DC Chapter
Children’s National Medical Center — The Early Childhood Innovation Network
Children’s Law Center
DC Action for Children
DC Appleseed
DC Early Learning Collaborative
DC Fiscal Policy Institute (at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
DC Head Start Association (DCHSA)
Empower DC
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital — The Early Childhood Innovation Network
Raise DC

(See descriptions of the projects being funded.)

The Foundation will invest a total of $3.5 million over the next six months to support early learning in the District. This includes funding for the expansion of quality early learning opportunities as well as wrap-around support and services that help children succeed.

“Our goal is to produce a dramatic increase in the level of support for infants and toddlers across the District,” said Green. “We want to build an integrated approach that helps children in every aspect of their lives — in the classroom, in the community and at home. These initial investments — and the projects they fund — will help to establish a solid foundation for our efforts.”

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The Bainum Family Foundation combines proven expertise with a passion for supporting the whole child by providing integrated services to help them thrive. Our circle of collaboration includes investments and support in early learning, wrap-around services and knowledge building. Founded in 1968 by Stewart and Jane Bainum, it was originally known as The College Foundation, and later the Commonweal Foundation, and has helped children exit poverty through educational programs and services for 47 years. For more information, visit www.bainum.wearevanish.com.

For more information about the new report, Infants and Toddlers in the District of Columbia: A Statistical Look at Needs and Disparities, or to speak with a Foundation representative regarding the Birth-to-Three Policy Alliance, contact:

Ed Walz
Springboard Partners
202.374.8872
ed@springboard.partners

Ann Egan
Senior Director of Communications
240.450.0027
aegan@bainum.wearevanish.com