Advocacy Mission
We work to elevate the voices of children and families so they can advocate for themselves. By supporting our clients, we ensure their voices matter—shaping goals that strengthen their lives and our community.
If you’re a community stakeholder with connections, resources, or influence to help break down barriers, we invite you to join us. Together, we can create lasting change. Contact Calebp@clnabq.org to explore how you can make an impact.
Voices for Early Childhood
Goal: To engage community organizing groups and bring awareness to early childhood services in Bernalillo County.
Mission
Every New Mexican family with children under the age of five is safe, secure, engaged in reciprocal community relationships, and is able to make time for joy, play and self-care.
Vision
Partnering with our community to elevate families’ lived experiences, inspire empathy, and nurture early childhood stability that supports family prosperity.
Voices for Early Childhood is a group of individuals who are dedicated to ending early childhood homelessness and addressing the inequities that these children face in their day-to-day lives.
The VEC believes that the key to creating reciprocal relationships is to build mutual respect and appreciation for the common goal of providing the best experiences and resources for children.
Early childhood organizations need meaningful contributions from parents and families to support the planning and implementation of programs and events.
Families and early learning organizations work together in partnership—creating nurturing, developmentally appropriate access for children while advancing the goals of the whole family. By connecting families to resources and removing barriers to their social determinants of health, we ensure they can access what they truly need. This interdependent relationship enriches both the family and the community.
Join the Coalition
We are always looking for new individuals and organizations to join the Coalition to keep expanding our knowledge and reach into Early Childhood Services. If you are an individual or a part of an organization that focuses on Early Childhood services, mental or physical health services, or research and policy and want to find out more about the Coalitions projects and how to make a difference, please submit the interest application below.
History
The coalition began its strategic planning process in early 2023 to address, the the key challenges New Mexico families experiencing poverty and/or homelessness and with children under the age of five are facing.
Based on the findings from the community needs assessment, it was clear that meeting the basic needs of families with children under the age of five in New Mexico requires both short- and long-term strategic plan.
The overarching goals of the ECECD and all of its partner coalitions are:
- 5,000 additional children enrolled in high-quality NM PreK
- 20,000 more children receive affordable high-quality early care and education
- 33 counties in New Mexico supported by an active and engaged local early childhood coalition
- 23 Tribes, Pueblos and Nations have improved early childhood facilities
- ECECD Advisory Council is active, engaged, inclusive, and accountable
- 80 percent of families and babies with Plans of Care will be supported
- 2,000 additional infants and toddlers will have access to high-quality, inclusive child care
- 500 indigenous early childhood educators are supported in achieving higher credentials
- 5,000 additional families engage in evidence-based home visiting