Mark your calendars: June 3, 2022, is cause for celebration, and what a night it will be. That’s when the 120th anniversary event for CHILDREN’S LEARNING CENTERS OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY will take center stage at Serafina at the IC by hosting “An Intimate Evening with Vanessa Williams.” The multitalented singer, actress, fashion designer and former Miss America takes the stage as event headliner to help this exceptional organization celebrate an exceptional achievement in such an exceptional way. Development Director Corey Paris can’t wait to put on his dancing shoes when the community comes together for a night of fundraising and festivity.
Headquartered in Stamford, CLC provides early childhood education for every family with direct services and programs focusing on health, nutrition and family support for children ages six weeks to five years. These programs are run by a staff whose commitment to the organization’s mission is palpable and whose expert levels of care are their main priority. One grateful parent shared that her son receives well-balanced and nutritious meals, including breakfast, lunch and snacks, and that he comes home eager to share what he learned. The parent also noted well-sized classrooms and supervised outside play areas.
CEO Marc E. Jaffe heads and runs this iconic gift to Fairfield County with a golden touch. A man of vision and humanity, his words resonate loudly: “I feel we all have a responsibility to do good work and heal the world.”
If ever this sentiment supports such a commitment, Children’s Learning Centers best exemplify his philosophy.
CLC sums up its mission as: “Together we shape a generation through early childhood development.” As the second-largest early childhood education provider in Connecticut, CLC is a leader in the field. This nonprofit agency is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and approved by Federal Head Start. They have eight Stamford locations, serving this city and the surrounding communities. Early Head Start and Head Start programs are available to Stamford, Darien and Greenwich, and financial assistance for these programs is based on eligibility.
CLC enriches the community, and its enthusiasm is contagious. Its goal is for every child in the Fairfield County area to have access to quality early education. They achieve this through cooperation, collaboration and coordination with their community social service agencies.
Such nonprofits thrive on donations, and where best to show your support? On June 3, CLC will share alumni stories, photos from their archives and more nostalgic tidbits that best illustrate the work that Children’s Learning Centers of Fairfield County is doing year-round.
As Marc Jaffe points out: “Unfortunately, child care in Connecticut is dramatically underfunded. So, it compels us to raise money from generous supporters. There’s no better way to do this than to bring in extraordinarily gifted talent to help raise our profile, while shining the light on a critical issue.”
Chair of the Development Committee, Karen Giannuzzi, concludes by saying, “It’s an honor to work on the board of CLC, an organization that has a positive impact and influential role on the children and the future of our community.”