PHOTOS: Family Centers Honors Greenwich House Delegation with “Children’s Champion” Awards

On Thursday leadership of the local non profit Family Centers hosted the CT Early Childhood Alliance “Children’s Champions” awards.

The event honored the Greenwich House delegation – State Rep Hector Arzeno (D-151), Rachel Khanna (D-149), and Steve Meskers (D-150) – for their work advocating for early childhood education.

Merrill Gay, the Executive Director of CT Early Childhood Alliance, a statewide membership organization of groups that advocate for early childhood education at the state capital and with state agencies, thanked the three House legislators for advocating on the House floor for HB 5002, which passed on a bi-partisan basis.

HB 5002, An Act Concerning Early Childhood Care and Education, established the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund and advisory commission.

Family Centers Vice President Yenny Toone welcomed the House delegation, but said Rep Arzeno no stranger to Family Centers, noting that he played a pivotal role in supporting their “Family First in Education” program.

Family Centers CEO, Bob Arnold described delivering early education services as a “very difficult environment” and thanked the House delegation for elevating early education for all.

“Because you’re not only helping the child to get the proper educational launch they need, but you’re helping those parents to feel safe and their child is in good hands, and that they can go to work,” Mr. Arnold said. “And they’re helping all those employers who need those employees.  It’s the complete loop when it comes to our economy.”

Cathy Hogan, who is Family Centers Director of Early Education, explained that the early childcare and education program serves over 200 children every year, age six weeks through five-years-old, many of whom receive state funding and scholarships to attend.

Their program is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

“We also have a Head Start program. That means we are a high quality program that follows best practice and helps children receive the best possible start n their educational lives,” Ms Hogan added.

Mr. Gay said typically his alliance recognizes individuals, but the three legislators were all being recognized for their work in the 2024 session.

“HB 5002 creates a permanent early childhood fund in the Treasurer’s office. All of us understand the importance of young children and recognize the return on investment that comes from investing in young children, and that marginally higher investment to provide quality care versus just custodial care has a remarkable return of investment,” Mr. Gay said. “This bill was all about figuring out how to get money into the early childhood system. It was the first step, but now you have a vehicle.”

“When you have a system that has been chronically underfunded for so long, where all the educators deeply subsidize the system because parents don’t have the money to pay for the true costs of a quality system,” he added, noting also, “Early child  educators subsidize the system by working for lower wages.”

State Rep Hector Arzeno said the award was recognition, not only to the House delegation, but to everyone at Family Centers.

“It is a recognition for what you do, and what you’ve been doing here for over 100 years,” he said.

State Rep Rachel Khanna said childcare and early childhood education were close to her heart.

“After I had my first child, I had to choose between going back to work or using my salary to pay for childcare – or staying home to take care of my newborn,” she recalled. “Ultimately, I made the decision to stay home, which I’m aware makes me one of the lucky few.”

“I do wish I had more choices available to me and I know this is the case for may families, and women in particular, in our state and throughout our country,” Khanna said. “We need to work to continue to make transformative investments and early childhood education and childcare, to put our youngest residents on a path to lifelong learning because they are the workers, entrepreneurs and leaders of the future –  to make it easier join or rejoin the workforce, and to support women and women-owned childcare businesses.”

State Rep Meskers talked about values.

“What I think about every day is the message we send our society. It’s a message about our seniors and our children,” he said. “What you represent and what you do is more glorious than anything we can do. The sacrifice I make pales in comparison to the dedication – dealing with the children and their issues – helping them grow and helping them move forward in their life.”

Family Centers programs include preschool and early care programs for young children, but also mental health, bereavement and family counseling services, primary medical and dental services, vocational and self-sufficiency support, English language and basic literacy education.