Letter from the Chair <strong>of</strong> the Board <strong>of</strong> DirectorsLetter from the PresidentFor me, focusing on early childhood development is about making sure allchildren have the best. The gulf between what poor children have access to and what somany other children are able to enjoy is far too wide. The <strong>Ounce</strong> works every day toclose that divide.What a tremendous year this has been. The <strong>Ounce</strong> helped secure passage <strong>of</strong>Preschool for All, landmark legislation providing preschool to all three- and four-yearoldsin Illinois—that includes an 11 percent set-aside for programs devoted to at-riskinfants and toddlers. And we didn’t stop there.This year, we expanded the number <strong>of</strong> doula sites in Illinois from 17 to 22.When you realize how many young, low-income pregnant teens would go without thelevel <strong>of</strong> support needed at such a vulnerable time if they did not have access to thesebirth assistants, the magnitude <strong>of</strong> that expansion becomes so evident.And in <strong>2006</strong>, we saw our model <strong>of</strong> quality early childhood development expandagain. A new Educare Center opened in Tulsa and there was a groundbreaking for acenter in Denver. As an extension <strong>of</strong> that work, in <strong>2006</strong>, we joined a national alliancefocused on helping to create long-term policy change in states with Educare Centers sothat more states will increase their public investment in children’s earliest years,specifically, from birth to age five.This year has been pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Ounce</strong>’s commitment to working on a number <strong>of</strong>issues that impact young children’s lives and set the stage for a lifetime <strong>of</strong> positivegrowth, both in school and in life. Together, we can continue to leverage even greaterchange in the state and across the nation. I can’t think <strong>of</strong> a wiser or more generousinvestment.4 5Thank you for your continued support.Sincerely,Change doesn’t happen because one person makes a decision. Change happensbecause people <strong>of</strong> like minds join forces and make it a matter <strong>of</strong> will. This is what ishappening in the early childhood field.Preschool for All in Illinois is about more than preschool for all three- and four-yearolds.It also increases the dollars available to programs focused on at-risk infants andtoddlers. Given what we know about the first three years <strong>of</strong> life—the importance<strong>of</strong> social-emotional development and the acquisition <strong>of</strong> language and literacy—theattention to infants and toddlers as part <strong>of</strong> the plan signals a serious commitment inIllinois to provide our most vulnerable children with every opportunity to overcomethe obstacles that threaten their lifelong success.To impact lives, we must be diligent. We must remain vigilant, and we have tostep up and speak up about the discrepancy between what is known and what is donewhen it comes to early childhood policy across the nation.The <strong>Ounce</strong> embraces what is possible and makes it probable. We are using ourknowledge and experience, gained over 25 years, to redefine the educational spectrum toinclude children’s earliest years, beginning at birth. That means fighting for the kind <strong>of</strong>substantive policy change that will increase access to quality early childhood developmentprograms for more <strong>of</strong> our youngest children.We have worked hard and we have learned much. Now, other states are watching,very closely, what we do. We will remain true to our local work, even as our programand policy successes have opened a doorway for the <strong>Ounce</strong> to be a significant voice atnational tables, helping to shape the future <strong>of</strong> early childhood across the country.You help us stay strong. Your contributions fuel our work and help us articulate,locally and nationally, why investing in a child’s earliest years is so important.Unrestricted gifts enable us to tackle complex issues facing young children andfamilies in a multifaceted way. This kind <strong>of</strong> generosity allows us to pilot new ideas,evaluate existing ones, and advocate for historic initiatives such as Preschool for All,leveraging sustained public funding for young children.Thank you for your support. Thank you for believing that early childhood matters.And thank you for being willing to take action as an expression <strong>of</strong> that belief.Joyce SkoogChair, Board <strong>of</strong> Directors<strong>Ounce</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Prevention</strong> <strong>Fund</strong>Sincerely,Harriet MeyerPresident<strong>Ounce</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Prevention</strong> <strong>Fund</strong>