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At ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ, we believe that setting the stage for lifelong health and wellness is key to academic and social success. We’re all about helping kids, their families, and teachers develop healthy habits that impact them physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Early childhood education centers like ours are the perfect place to start building a culture of healthy living.

In 2022, highlighted our groundbreaking efforts in children’s nutrition and wellness. Our President and CEO, Myrna Peralta, noted that healthier eating habits help kids focus better, remember more, and interact more positively with each other. As the Food and Wellness Program Manager, I’m excited to say that our investment in this area continues to pay off in amazing ways.

Our mission is to educate families about healthy foods, promoting multicultural, healthy behaviors in our community. Thanks to the generous support from our donors, supporters, and community, we’ve been able to offer fun nutrition workshops, cooking classes, and affordable produce through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and partnerships with organizations like FRESHFARM. This makes healthy living accessible and enjoyable for parents from all walks of life.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of our efforts, especially when parents and teachers tell us about their successes with new, nutritious recipes. These positive changes inspire our early learners to try different foods and build good habits. The feedback we receive validates our work and motivates us to keep finding new ways to support our families’ health.

We’re grateful to parents and educators for their dedication to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our kids. And a huge thank you to our donors and supporters—your generosity makes a real difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. In this edition of InSight and our upcoming Back-to-School Campaign, we invite you to learn more about our unique Food and Wellness Program and discover how you can invest in your own health and wellness by supporting your community!

Sincerely,

Victoria Reis

Food and Wellness Program Manager

After eight years of dedicated service, Carla Colón sadly stepped down from her role as the Senior Development & Communications Officer at ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ. Her tenure has been marked by significant contributions to the organization, particularly in the realms of development and communications.

Carla joined ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ as the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO but made the transition into development and communications. Her efforts have not only strengthened the organization's government grant strategies but also significantly boosted its fundraising capabilities.

In her farewell message, Carla expressed her gratitude for the opportunities and experiences she gained at ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ. She acknowledged the support of her colleagues and the community, emphasizing that her journey at ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ has been both rewarding and fulfilling. We believe that with her expertise and passion she will undoubtedly continue to benefit whichever path she chooses to follow. ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ’s leadership has also expressed their appreciation for Carla's contributions and wished her success in her future endeavors.

Carla's departure marks the end of an era for ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ, but her legacy will undoubtedly endure. Her work has laid a strong foundation for future development endeavors in securing government grants, ensuring that ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ continues to thrive and serve its community effectively.

As we gear up to open the new child development center in Silver Spring, (³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ @ MGCDC), we started holding Community Informational/Q&A Sessions for the community to provide a progress report and answer the burning questions they have; particularly our parents and families who live around the new center.

The first of these sessions took place in June. We invited community members, business owners, and community leaders in Silver Spring to stop by to find out about the proposed center and the progress that has been made as we get closer to our grand opening.

We like to spotlight wonderful friends and organizations that have taken the time to help out ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ families in any way they can, whether through a generous donation or volunteering!

Recently, our friends at made a donation in providing bags of fresh and healthy produce for families at our Maryland center.

Thank you to Small Things Matter and their contribution in helping the low-income, working families we serve. We love bringing fresh food and produce to our ³¬ÅöÔÚÏßÊÓƵ early learners and parents!

Friends & Supporters

Beatriz BB Otero

Chelsey Christensen

Diane Kuhla

Lisa K Rosenstein

Patrick-Spencer Salami

Raquel Gomez

Rebecca Mimnall

Susan Trice

Foundations

Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation

Gosnell Foundation

Walter A. Bloedorn Foundation