Our Founding

Since its founding in 1943, formerly known as the California Child Development Administrators Association, EveryChild California has grown to serve all leaders in subsidized early care and education programs in California.

The original directors started the association to advocate against plans by the Roosevelt administration to close all Children's Centers, which the federal government sponsored under the Lanham Act so that mothers could work in the war industries. After World War II federal funding was withdrawn and EveryChild California successfully lobbied for State funds to continue the children's centers in California.

In the 1970s, we supported legislation to add new delivery models and more funds to including infant centers, Alternative Payment programs, Resource and Referral, Family Child Care Home Networks, nonprofit centers and campus centers. In recent past, EveryChild California has impacted changes on the funding terms and conditions, assisted in significantly increasing funding for the Pre-Kindergarten Family Literacy Program, successfully fought for an increase in the Standard Reimbursement Rate and supported the elimination of part-day Family Fees, amongst countless other contributions in support of the growing and powerful voice of California's ECE community.

Today, EveryChild California, an Association of Leaders Advancing Early Learning, continues to provide leadership and technical assistance to the early education field while working hard to be a steadfast and strong voice for all of California's children and families.