DAY ONE Early Learning Community: Nurturing Potential from the Start

Introduction

Founded in 2019 in Poughkeepsie, New York, DAY ONE Early Learning Community is dedicated to strengthening communities by investing in their youngest members. The organization operates on the belief that teachers, parents, and children form an interconnected system, and that the prosperity of each element contributes to the overall well-being of the community. DAY ONE strives to foster a community-wide understanding of the transformative power of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and ensure that all children have access to high-quality learning experiences.

Mission and Model

DAY ONE's mission is to create a model teaching and early learning community where families, educators, and future teachers collaborate to nurture every child’s potential, from day one. The DAY ONE model assumes teachers, parents, and children are part of an interconnected, interdependent system: when all three are thriving, our communities prosper. To do so, they are fostering a community-wide understanding of what Early Childhood Education (ECE) is, why it is transformative, and how all children can have access.

The organization focuses on three key areas: training and elevating early childhood teachers, engaging and empowering parents, and offering high-quality early childhood learning.

Key Initiatives and Programs

Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP)

DAY ONE continues expansion of its Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway (TAP) program - an 11-week, paid, hands-on training initiative that prepares aspiring educators for careers in early childhood education. Apprentices engage in immersive, practice-based learning and graduate ready to lead classrooms or launch home-based programs.

Early Childhood Education and Support Services

At Day One Early Learning Community, each child’s brain will develop vital neural networks that are the foundation for lifelong learning. From ages 0-5 (and especially 0-3,) it is essential that children receive enriching learning opportunities to prepare them to arrive at kindergarten at grade level. At Day One Early Learning Community every child will have everything they need to grow up healthy, safe and strong. Support services in early childhood are the ultimate “pay it forward.” Early intervention support is a gift. Day One will offer this gift to every child enrolled in the Teaching & Learning Center. It can change a child’s life, for the rest of their lives.

DAY ONE’s classrooms support joyful, brain-building learning during the most critical years of development, and help families build greater stability at home.

Universal Child Care Advocacy

What started in Poughkeepsie is now helping shape what universal child care looks like across New York. Dutchess County will create up to 1,000 new child care seats starting in 2027. DAY ONE’s model-rooted in local talent, strong partnerships, and family-centered design-is helping shape what’s next for child care in New York.

Leadership and Recognition

DAY ONE Early Learning Community, a nonprofit dedicated to brain-building early education and early childhood career-building opportunities for adults, announced the appointments of Madeline Henriquez as Executive Director, marking a new chapter in the organization’s growth, and Dr. The new roles position the organization for rapid growth and expansion, as DAY ONE increases statewide visibility and sees rising demand for its programs.

Madeline Henriquez is a widely recognized and longtime community leader and advocate, noted for bridging systems and communities with compassion and strategy. At DAY ONE, we are building scalable solutions that invest in and empower early childhood educators, because sustainable change begins with a strong workforce and community infrastructure,” said Henriquez. “This work is about more than addressing immediate needs - it’s about building a stronger, more equitable future.

Dr. Julie Riess, developmental psychologist and DAY ONE co-founder, is a nationally recognized expert in the intersection of child development and early childhood education. She steps into the new role of Chief Early Education Officer to focus on the organization’s commitment to instructional excellence. Riess, who taught at Vassar College for 27 years, designed the TAP curriculum and will now lead curriculum development, educator coaching, and quality assurance across all sites.

DAY ONE’s efforts have earned the support of state and federal leaders committed to addressing the nation’s growing child care and workforce crises. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spotlighted DAY ONE as part of a $1.2 million federal investment to expand access to affordable, high-quality child care in New York - calling the model a solution to both care and workforce gaps.

Impact and Future Goals

Day One changes the futures of the children it serves. Day One Early Learning Community’s mission is to train and place 200 early childhood teachers in Poughkeepsie, NY, who will receive a respectful wage. It will provide 300 children an affordable early childhood education that helps them enter kindergarten excited to continue learning. And it will help parents enter or re-enter the workforce, confident their children are thriving.

Financial Transparency

Organizations must report loans, grants or business transactions with interested parties, which may include key employees and officers, their family members and any businesses in which they hold a controlling interest. Filed on Dec. 2011-2018 fiscal years, but may include older records. of full Form 990 documents wherever possible. 2016. have to file form 990-EZ. which have filed a Form 990, Form 990EZ or Form 990PF. 990PF are also included. Raw filing data. Exempt Organization profiles. Includes organization names, addresses, etc. Form 990 documents. and ProPublica. Form 990 documents as XML files. officers, tax schedules, etc.) in machine-readable format. available for electronically filed documents. Audits. in a single fiscal year.

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