News & Events
National Provider Appreciation Day: May 8, Child Care Providers to be Recognized
Contact: Kay Williamson, Office of Public Relations and Information
Phone: 706.646.6131 ∙ Email: kwilliamson@flintrivertech.edu
Pictured above (top photo) - left to right: Gary Larson, Flint River Technical College Early Childhood Care and Education Coordinator/Instructor; Sherrin Sutton, Director of Tender Tech Child Development Center; and Mary Jackson, Child Care Resource and Referral Agency Director.
(lower photo): (L to R): back row, left to right: Shelia Wilson, Lending Library Specialist (CCR&R); Cynthia Powell, Assistant to Director (CCR&R); Gary Larson, ECE Coordinator / Instructor. Front row, left to right: Caren Tyndall, Program Assistant (CCR&R); Wanda Johnson, Quality Improvement Coordinator (CCR&R); Sherrin Sutton, Director of the Tender Tech Child Development Center; Mary Jackson, Director (CCR&R); Angie Moore, Technical Assistance Coordinator (CCR&R) and LaTreena Meadows, Program secretary (CCR&R).
Child care organizations and parents across the globe are joining together the Friday before Mother’s Day, May 8, 2009 to celebrate Provider Appreciation Day. Provider Appreciation Day is a special day to recognize child care providers, teachers, school-age program staff, child care center directors and staff, and all those who work with children in a variety of ways and are responsible for their education and care. It is estimated that there are nearly 2.8 million child care providers in the United States and that nearly 11 million children under the age of five are in their care.
Locally, the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency (CCR&R) of West Central Georgia at Thomaston, which is a program of Flint River Technical College, is leading this effort. The CCR&R distributed recognition certificates to over 300 child care programs in its 10 county service area. The CCR&R also provided each program with a list of ideas to share with parents to encourage them to do something special for their children’s caregivers on May 8th.
“Every day child care providers care for more than 3,000 children under the age of five in CCR&R’s 10 county service area,” said Mary Jackson, Director of the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency. “The children and parents of the CCR&R’s ten county service area depend on our child care providers. May 8th is the day to recognize the hard work and dedication of child care providers, and to acknowledge their contributions to high quality care.”
“By applauding the dedication of child care providers on May 8, 2009, we remind our communities of the importance of high quality child care, and let providers everywhere know that we recognize and value their important work,” said Linda K. Smith, Executive Director of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), the lead sponsor of Provider Appreciation Day.
“It takes a special person to work in the child care field and these individuals are often unrecognized,” said Mary Jackson. “This day offers an opportunity for parents to show their child care providers their appreciation.”
To learn more about Provider Appreciation Day or for ideas on how you can thank your child care provider, contact the CCR&R staff at (706) 646-6215 or toll free at 1-800-613-8546. For additional information visit www.providerappreciation.org.
