EV BANNERIn the article, FOCAL’s Executive Director notes that strong support is needed for early education and that “A child doesn’t start to learn at 4. These early years are the most impressionable.” Read the full article here.

EV BANNERCheck out the fantastic write-up on our April Raising the Curtain on Race conference by the Equal Voice: America’s Family Story Newspaper here.

Raising the Curtain on Race Draws More than 150 People

April 15, 2013

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Open dialogue, building bridges and bringing awareness were the focal points of the “Raising the Curtain on Race” conference. More than 150 people from across the state gathered in the Gold Room at Troy University Montgomery on Saturday, April 6th to discuss privilege, internalized oppression, racism and shared personal experiences of their struggle. The conference panel [...]

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April 6: Join FOCAL at Raising the Curtain on Race!

February 26, 2013

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For more than forty years, FOCAL has championed high-quality child care as the core of any community’s desires for their children. We know that race, privilege, and internalized racial oppression must be mitigated among adults if we are to free our children from those challenges. We hope you will join us at our upcoming conference [...]

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Spring 2013 Newsletter

February 20, 2013

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If you didn’t receive FOCAL’s Spring 2013 newsletter, you can download it here. You’ll find articles on (and photos of) our 40th Anniversary Conference, our parent mentor program, Medicaid in Alabama, childcare licensing,  civic engagement, grassroots leadership, and more. Learn how FOCAL is reaching your community today! Download now: FOCAL_2013Spring_Newsletter You can download earlier editions of [...]

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FOCAL’s 40th Annual Conference a Huge Success

December 11, 2012

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FOCAL’s spirits are soaring in response to the presence, energy and enthusiasm of over 400 people who attended our 40th Annual Conference events on November 16-17, 2012. On Friday, November 16, we kicked off the weekend at the steps of the Alabama State Capitol with a public gathering in support of childcare programs in Alabama. [...]

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FOCAL Welcomes Natilee McGruder

December 5, 2012

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Natilee McGruder, Organization Developer, joined the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL) in late 2012. Natilee is passionate about issues of poverty, education, conflict resolution, prison reform and actively working towards peace and civic engagement. During law school she worked as a mediator in Tuscaloosa Family Court, assisted in setting up several non-profits [...]

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FOCAL Honors Departing Staff

October 1, 2012

FOCAL extends its warmest wishes to two dedicated staff members who have moved on to new opportunities. After eleven years, Tania Lang Burger has departed from her friends at FOCAL, and from her adopted home of Montgomery, in order to return to her home, family, and obligations in Massachusetts. Since 2003, Ms. Burger championed FOCAL [...]

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Reflections on FOCAL

September 15, 2012

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Here are just a few of the things that FOCAL partners are saying on the occasion of our 40th anniversary. We thank them for their dedication and commitment to child care and the families of Alabama!       For me on a personal level, had FOCAL never existed, I’m not sure if I would [...]

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PACC Workshop: Parents Sharing Ideas and Making A Difference

August 20, 2012

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FOCAL’s Parents Advocate Change for Children (PACC) workshop on Saturday, August 18, 2012, fully engaged its audience of highly motivated parents. PACC is a five-month fellowship program providing professional training in parenting skills, group leadership, and ways to bring about personal and community change. This interactive session helped participants discover and learn ways to advocate [...]

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