Strategies for Children turns 25 next year, so we’re excited to reflect on a quarter-century of history—and share all the ways that Strategies has grown and become new.

“We started with advocacy and action,” Amy O’Leary, Strategies’ executive director says, recalling Strategies’ earliest days, “and over the years we’ve added seasons of reflection so we could understand what had been accomplished, what still needed to be done, and what Strategies for Children had to become to meet the needs of children, families, and early educators.

“It’s the reflection that’s helped us grow and take new, more targeted action.”

Then, in 2020, the pandemic hit, and there was only time to react, to scramble for solutions, to join together for solace and insight. A silver lining emerged: more people finally understood how crucial it is to have child care so that first responders, and later everyone else, could go to work.

The need for connection during the pandemic led to the creation of one of Strategies’ signature initiatives, The 9:30 Call. Since then the call has evolved into a tool for sharing information and making connections among early educators, policymakers, elected officials, and philanthropists. Today, there’s also The 9:30 Call en español, as well as calls that are translated into Portuguese.

In 2021, Strategies for Children launched the Advocacy Network for Early Childhood, a program funded by Boston Children’s Collaboration for Community Health that supports, teaches, and provides opportunities to cohorts of early childhood professionals to build and strengthen their role as advocates for children, families, and for each other. The fifth cohort will be announced soon. 

In 2022, Strategies also convened the Early Childhood Agenda, “a historic, first-of-its-kind partnership that’s dedicated to building a new, 21st century infrastructure for young children and their families.”

And the new Advocacy HQ webpage offers resources for everyone. 

There’s also a new mission statement as well as new strategic directions that have both been approved by the Board.

Strategies has also grown by welcoming more people to its team.

Since 2020, Strategies has added staff members, including Director of Policy Marisa Fear, Director of Communications Diagneris “Nery” Garcia, the Advocacy Network’s Program Assistant Jayleese Le Blanc, and the Director of Finance and Operations Marge Mahoney. Strategies has also hosted 40 student interns in the past 10 years many of whom have gone on to work in public policy. 

O’Leary has also prioritized continuous organizational improvement, seeking advice from outside consultants. 

“Asking for help,” O’Leary says, “is a crucial part of learning and growth.”

In 2021, Strategies worked with Sally Sharp Lehman, of Sharp Lehman Consulting, on an intense strategic planning process so that we could face the health and economic challenges caused by Covid. 

Marty Walz and Mary Jo Meisner helped with the implementation of this plan. Walz helped Strategies with Board development: recruiting nine new members, creating Board Committees, updating the by-laws, and developing an Orientation for new Board Members. Meisner connected Strategies with potential funders and helped reframe Strategies’ work so it would be better aligned with the 2021 strategic plan. 

In October of 2024, Strategies updated its strategic plan to guide the work of the next three years. Strategies staff and Board members worked with Ronda Alexander at Global Reach Consulting. 

Alexander helped develop a plan that helped Strategies update its mission statement and set new strategic directions. 

There is even more to come! We’ll soon be announcing our new Early Childhood Policy Pathways Fellowship , a 20-month, full-time work experience for recent college graduates, led by Strategies in partnership with three other host organizations. And stay tuned for updates on the upcoming Early Childhood Summit, “where experts in the field will share their lived experience, knowledge and best practices to help improve early childhood policy development.” The summit will be held next month in Worcester, MA., and early childhood professionals, parents, policymakers, and advocates are all invited. 

“I can’t think of a better time for us to turn 25,” O’Leary says. “We have a strong history. We’ve faced challenges and learned from them. We’ve become conveners. And all this has led us to a new focus and a new direction. Our new work of connecting people to people, people to policy, and people to power is how we can accomplish real change for children, families, and early educators.”