Home Grown is excited to introduce the third cohort of provider leaders in our Leading from Home initiative! Leading from Home invests in and strengthens providers and families to inform policy decisions and actions. The Leading from Home initiative supports community leaders with the belief that it is critical to engage providers and parents in policy change and support providers and caregivers as they work to influence improvements to the child care system.
We received roughly 340 applications from providers and caregivers. Although we could only accept a small number of provider leaders into the 2024 cohort, we want to acknowledge and applaud the incredible work happening across the country: Providers are delivering quality care for children and families, building community among their peers and working for change. Providers, we see you and we applaud you.
After a thorough selection process, we are excited to introduce the 9 provider leaders in our 2024 Leading from Home cohort:
- Alison Burns, Michigan
- Angela Dumas, Texas
- Claudia Carolina, Louisiana
- Jarrell Harris, Illinois
- Tammie Hazlett, Vermont
- Lucy Hinojosa, New Mexico
- Teresa Jordan, Pennsylvania
- Patty Ortiz, New Mexico
- Leticia Sanchez, Oregon
The members of this cohort represent providers and caregivers from diverse experiences, languages and identities. Each provider and caregiver joins with a common goal to influence policy change and positively impact the child care system.
The members of cohort 3 represent:
– Six licensed family child care (FCC) providers
– Three family, friend, and neighbor (FFN) caregivers
– Eight states
– A range of three to 25+ years of experience in the field
– Four languages (English, Spanish, Garifuna, Chinese)
– Seven of the nine are providers of color
Over the next two years, Home Grown will use the Leading from Home model to support leaders in meeting their goals. Through regular Community of Practice sessions, provider leaders will build relationships and gain additional skills to strengthen their advocacy efforts. Leaders will receive ongoing coaching, financial support, access to experts and additional support from Home Grown.
Please join us in congratulating these amazing provider leaders for their accomplishments! We are excited to support these leaders in their work to create systems change for providers and caregivers all over the country.
