Co-Chairs J.B. Pritzker and Diana Rauner announce successful completion of the
Ounce Campaign for Early Learning
It is with great pleasure that we announce the successful completion of the Ounce Campaign for Early Learning. Thanks to the generous investment of many friends and supporters, the Ounce of Prevention Fund surpassed its $15 million goal, raising nearly $15.6 million to advance important work to narrow the achievement gap and help young, at-risk children and their families create a pathway out of poverty.
The achievement of this ambitious goal is reflected in the newly constructed Family Center at Educare, which provides space to expand programs for parents during - and after - their children's enrollment at Educare. Investment in the Campaign also seeded several important projects. The Ounce's Early Math Initiative is helping identify and refine effective strategies for promoting early math skills among young children. A new professional development model that is being implemented through the Ounce's Center-Based Training Institute will raise the quality of early childhood programs in Chicago and surrounding counties. And the Campaign has strengthened the Ounce's capacity in the areas of communications, marketing and advocacy, which will be essential to building increased awareness and support for early childhood education.
It has been an honor to lead the Ounce Campaign for Early Learning. Together, we have established a solid, new foundation upon which the Ounce can further develop, implement and advocate for funding to sustain much-needed early childhood programs for young children and families in poverty. We thank you for your support and investment, and look forward to reporting on new developments in the Ounce's work.
 J.B. Pritzker |
 Diana Rauner |
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"The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is pleased to be a lead investor in the Training Center at the Ounce's new Educare Family Center. Having skilled early childhood professionals, who understand and can respond to the needs of young children and their families, is critical to building and maintaining a quality early education system in Illinois. And what can be more important than supporting our youngest learners, who are our future?"
"We are proud to support the Educare Family Center's goal of ensuring that more families have the resources to nurture their children's ongoing learning and success in school. The new Center is not just a building; it is a welcoming environment for learning and growth, and a model program at the forefront of early education."
"The Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, is proud to partner with the Ounce of Prevention Fund in support of the Educare Family Center. The McNeil Foundation was established to support and promote quality educational, human services, and health care programming for underserved populations. Although the McNeils had no children of their own, they were strong supporters of children's causes, and we believe Educare is doing the kind of important work to improve the lives of children that the McNeils would have been happy to support." Letter from the President
Dear Friends,
With the arrival of the new year, I was privileged to assume the role of President at the Ounce of Prevention Fund. It is both humbling and exhilarating to follow in Harriet Meyer's footsteps, but after a thoughtful succession process that was years in the making, I feel well-prepared to lead the Ounce into a new chapter of our organizational history.
During the three years I served as Executive Director, I was able to witness Harriet's expansive vision, striking intelligence, and remarkable eye for talent. She is, incontrovertibly, the reason the Ounce has transformed from a formidable statewide force into a national leader in securing educational equality for disadvantaged children. Her successes - fostering the development of the Educare model; partnering with advocates and providers to solidify Illinois' leadership on early childhood; cultivating passionate champions for early learning; and building a successful, strategic organization with a deep bench of experts - provide the foundation and guiding principles that help ensure that we can achieve the Ounce's mission.
With your generosity and support we will take our movement to new fronts, strengthening public support for the precept that learning begins at birth. We will continue to be dogged advocates for parents, supporting their role as a child's first teacher. We will add to the research telling us that quality early education matters and partner more deliberately with colleagues in the K-12 world to integrate our work. We will continue to innovate our strategies and practices, ensuring that the Ounce becomes an even more efficient and effective change agent for children and families living in poverty.
I look forward to partnering with you to change the first five years of life so that all children can succeed in school and fully participate in the promise of the American Dream.
Diana Rauner
President, Ounce of Prevention Fund
Ounce Supporters Come Together at February 2011's President Transition Event
Race to the Top: Your Investments at Work
At the Ounce's Annual Luncheon on April 13, Keynote Speaker U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan declared that the federal funding landscape for early childhood education was about to change. "We want to play in the early childhood space in a way we never have," he told the attendees.
On May 25, the Obama Administration created a $500 million Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge competition among states. This historic step validates early learning as an issue that is foundational to education reform in America, and it marks the first time ever that early learning becomes a separately funded piece of federal education policy.
This milestone was accomplished by a legion of passionate early childhood advocates, driven by the Ounce's tenacious partners, including the First Five Years Fund (FFYF), and donors like you who support our efforts to narrow the achievement gap and create a more level playing field for all our children. In partnership with the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irving Harris Foundation, George Kaiser Family Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The Children's Initiative, a project of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation, and an anonymous donor, the Ounce created the First Five Years Fund to educate and advocate in Washington, D.C.
Together, the Ounce and FFYF have helped to keep the vision of an Early Learning Challenge competition alive through budget battles and competing initiatives. Illinois is one of the states eligible to submit an application seeking $10 million to $70 million.
Funding will be awarded this December and program priorities include using tiered rating and improvement systems to promote school readiness and sustaining program effects in the early elementary grades. Given President Obama's campaign pledge to increase investments in early education as well as ensuring greater access for families, devoting $500 million to early learning is an important step for birth-to-kindergarten resources and programs.
More than 750 business and philanthropic leaders joined Corporate Chair Joseph Gregoire to hear U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the It's Good Business to Invest in Young Children Luncheon on April 13, 2011.
View a slideshow from the 2011 Annual Luncheon.
It's Good Business to Invest in Young Children Annual Luncheon
Thank you to our Corporate and Foundation Sponsors
In addition to special pricing through Cellar Angels, members also receive tasting notes, food pairing recipes from noted and celebrity chefs and custom, behind-the-scenes videos spotlighting the featured winemaker and winery. Membership is free and open to anyone 21 years of age or older. Interested in membership? Sign up today at CellarAngels.com and tell a friend!
Ounce Partners with Cellar Angels to raise funds, one glass at a time.
The Ounce of Prevention Fund and Cellar Angels invite you to raise a glass and support programs and advocacy at the Ounce. Cellar Angels, a members-only, charity-based wine company headquartered in Chicago, offers direct and exclusive access to Napa and Sonoma County wineries via a weekly special sales event. Members receive email discounts on purchases of a featured artisan wine, then can choose among six charity partners to receive a donation equaling 10% of the net purchase proceeds.
"Giving every child an equal shot at school success is an important and compelling mission and we are honored to work with the Ounce to support programs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers that will help them enter school prepared and ready to learn," said Martin Cody, President of Cellar Angels. "This is another wonderful reason for our members to feel great about buying wine."
We are grateful to the following donors who generously contributed to the Ounce Campaign for Early Learning
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Billie Wright Adams, M.D. Anonymous (2) Susan and Stephen Baird Bank of America Bill and Donna Barrows The Francis Beidler Family Lindy Bergman The Bluhm Family Charitable Foundation The Boeing Company Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum The Buffett Early Childhood Fund The Children's Initiative, a project of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation Gregory L. Coler  Eloise Cornelius Pastor Thomas and Ruth Cross The Crown Family Dr. Deborah Daro and Coleman Tuggle Kelly King Dibble The Richard H. Driehaus Charitable Lead Trust Yvette Evans Marilyn and Larry Fields Finnegan Family Foundation Keith and Rodney Goldstein Leslie Graham and Louis Kenter James P. and Brenda S. Grusecki Family Foundation Michael Gustafson Patti and Allen Gustafson Harris Family Foundation/ Linda and Bill Friend Caryn and King Harris Katherine Harris Stephanie and John Harris Toni and Dr. Ron Paul Pam and Dr. Joe Szokol The Irving Harris Foundation |
Robert Heaton Rusty and Samuel Hellman JPMorgan Chase & Co. George Kaiser Family Foundation Anne and Burt KaplanThe Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation Ayana and Sokoni Karanja Lucinda Lee Katz and Norman A. Katz Alan S. and Sophia D. King Susan and Richard Kiphart Elizabeth and Timothy Landon Judy Langford and Bob V. Thompson Louis R. Lurie Foundation Macquarie Group Foundation Pastor B. Herbert Martin, Sr. Progressive Community Center - The People's Church The Oscar G. & Elsa S. Mayer Family Foundation Robert R. McCormick Foundation Colonel Stanley R. McNeil Foundation Paul Metzger and Sarah Bradley Harriet and Ulrich Meyer Northern Trust Prince Charitable Trusts Diana and Bruce Rauner Raul I. Raymundo The Rothkopf Family Charitable Foundation Cari and Michael Sacks Jean Schlemmer Kate and Howard Siegel The Simon Family Joyce and Roy Skoog The Steans Family Anne and John Tuohy Angela Walker Bernice Weissbourd Kelvin L. White Helen and Sam Zell deceased |
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