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So, how was your eclipse experience? I know it’s kind of old news now but it was SOOOO amazing! Because of all the hype, my expectations were really high but I was concerned the weather might cause it to be a bust. The morning started out with pretty clear skies but soon high thin clouds moved in as predicted. Then, lower and darker clouds arrived and my hopes for ‘totality’ started fading. But as we neared the first phase of the partial eclipse, the sun began to poke through as the clouds began to separate. Was this divine intervention? I’m pretty sure it must have been because so many people reported the same conditions from all over.

And then --- at the very minute and second predicted (I wonder how they know that?), the eclipse began to unfold. When I watched news highlights, the crowds (and there were watch parties everywhere!) all reacted pretty much the same – with child-like hoots and hollers and absolute delight at this celestial wonder. I must say I got the chills when totality first arrived and then I just kept my eyes glued to the show. And it did not disappoint in any way. This total eclipse not only met every expectation I had but far, far exceeded them. To be honest, y’all, I totally geeked out and tears came to my eyes at the wonder of it all. I hope the experience was special for you too. But if you had to miss it for some reason don’t worry, Texas will experience this again on August 23, 2044. Just 20 years away! Be sure to check out the eclipse collage below. Can you guess which image is my favorite?

Eclipse Fun Facts: It has been reported that internet use in the totality path during the eclipse was down 40%. And check out this map for Airbnb on April 8th – the occupancy rate in the totality path is near 100%! Amazing!

And speaking of amazing, our Child Care Assistance team has had some great exposure lately. Last Friday, we hosted Dallas City Council Member Jaime Resendez from District 5 at Little Creations in southeast Dallas, one of our fantastic Texas Rising Star 4-Star providers. We toured the facility with him and he got a firsthand look at the amazing work they do for children and families in their community. It was a pleasure showing Council Member Resendez how Little Creations goes the extra mile for their community. They even provided a delightful breakfast which sparked lively discussions about collaboration and resource-sharing. These partnerships are vital for shaping a brighter future for our children. A big thank you to Ezohn Smith, Director of Child Care Quality Improvement and TRS Mentor Catina Warren for being there to share all the amazing ways our CCA Quality Team is helping to support our community-based providers. It’s so important that our elected officials know the important work that child care providers (and our CCA Mentors!) do every day for our youngest learners.

And speaking of Mentors, just yesterday three of our Texas Rising Star Mentor’s were featured in the Texas Rising Star Mentor Monthly Newsletter in the Mentor Spotlight section. Carmena Long and Catina Warren (Dallas) and Leslye Ellis (Heart of Texas) were recognized for obtaining a

Micro-credential Badge well before the deadline of July 31st. What are Micro-credentials, you might be wondering? Micro-credentials are a certification that indicates competency in a specified skill set. Micro-credentials signify that the participant has mastered a skill or behavior, known as a competency. Congratulations ladies!! I love to celebrate when staff are recognized for working hard to reach milestones of development! Well done!

And speaking of milestones, we recently celebrated with some corporate and community funding partners that achieved some pretty major milestones. Last week, PNC Bank, which has been a major funder of ChildCareGroup for many years, celebrated the 20th anniversary of their $500 million ‘Grow Up Great’ initiative. This great program helps children, birth to age 5, discover the love of learning and prepare them for success in school and life. Our Events Coordinator, Jordan Taylor, is pictured below with PNC Bank representatives, Stephanie Berry and Amber Scanlan. And this past week, after we provided an Community Impact Grant update on the status of our program services to staff and community volunteers at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, we celebrated their 100th anniversary. Did you know that we were a charter agency of United Way and they have funded ChildCareGroup for every one of those 100 years? How awesome is that!! UWMD staff and volunteers are pictured below alongside myself and Kriston Jackson, VP of Early Childhood Programs.

Whew! Let’s call it a week y’all. I hope you enjoy your weekend.

Stay safe. Stay strong. Stay positive.

Tori Mannes

CEO & President