"That program is her whole world."

This fall, Chantel's five-year-old daughter walked into her Head Start classroom at EOCF for the first time. She was nervous. She didn't have kids her age at home, and she struggled to express what she was feeling. Tantrums were a daily battle.

But within just a few weeks, everything changed.

She woke up excited for school. She made friends. She learned to name her emotions instead of melting down. The tantrums that once overwhelmed their household dropped from a level 10 to a one.

Even Chantel, who had worked in child care for nine years, was learning new ways to support her own daughter. "It's different with your own kids," she told us. "I can't be more grateful."

Then on November 1st, the doors closed.

Federal funding didn't arrive. EOCF had to temporarily scale back Head Start operations. Chantel's daughter was one of nearly 300 children who lost access to their Head Start classroom.

Chantel's first thought wasn't about education. It was immediate and practical: How do I budget for breakfast and lunch? Her daughter had been receiving breakfast, lunch, and a snack at EOCF. SNAP benefits had been cut at the same time. She went to the food bank with another mom facing the same struggle.

But the hardest part was that her daughter didn't understand why she couldn't see her friends, her teachers, her routine.

For adults, a week without school feels manageable. For a child under five, it can feel like an eternity.

The consistency that Chantel's daughter had come to depend on were all interrupted during the most critical window of brain development. Ninety percent of a child's brain develops before age five.

When classrooms close, families lose more than childcare. They lose the meals their children depend on, the routines that create stability, and the critical learning that happens during the most important years of brain development. Ninety percent of brain development happens before age 5.

It costs $1,740 per day to operate a single Head Start classroom, which includes bus transportation, nutritious lunch and snacks, staffing, rent and other overhead costs. Right now, nearly 1,000 children and families are counting on us to keep those doors open across EOCF's 25 locations throughout Clark County, Long Beach, and Woodland.

The Future We're Building

When Chantel's daughter returned to her classroom, she was ecstatic. Playing with friends. Building houses out of Play-Doh. Living her best life.

"That program is her whole world," Chantel said.

Every child deserves that world. Every family deserves that support.

Your gift today keeps doors open. It keeps routines stable. It keeps children learning and growing during the years that matter most.

When Chantel's daughter returned to her classroom, she was ecstatic. Developing social emotional skills through playing with friends, and fine motor skills by building houses out of Play-Doh. Living her best life.

❄️ This Giving Season your gift will be doubled, up to $10,000. ❄️

We're asking you to help us reach our $20,000 goal so we can:

✓ Keep classroom doors open, no matter what happens with federal funding
✓ Maintain stability for children during critical developmental years
✓ Support families working hard to build better futures
✓ Ensure no child experiences another sudden closure

Give today. Shape tomorrow. And help one more child wake up excited for school.

EOCF Giving Season ❄️

By EOCF (Educational Opportunities for Children and Families)

EOCF Giving Season ❄️

Give today. Shape tomorrow.