Elgin Partnership for Early Learning (EPEL) is a non-profit early childhood community collaboration that partners with organizations in the eleven communities within the 90 miles of School District U-46 boundaries. EPEL collaborates with partners to provide awareness about the importance of early learning, available resources, and access to early childhood community initiatives, early care and education programs. EPEL supports families and providers of children five years of age and under. EPEL examines local data and parent voices to drive decisions to build connected local systems that are easier for families to navigate.
Our Mission
EPEL is building a connected community dedicated to helping all young children thrive.
Our Vision
Our children are happy, healthy, and ready for Kindergarten.
Equity Statement
EPEL is driven to ensure that all children have access to quality early care and education in Elgin and surrounding neighborhoods. In partnership with our stakeholders, we are committed to promoting policies and practices that intentionally meet the needs of children and families from diverse backgrounds and social identities.
Our Purpose
- Ensure a shared vision for young children is clearly held, broadly disseminated, and acted upon in the community.
- Support awareness and access for families to high-quality care and early learning experiences.
- Coordinate efforts across all birth to five programs to increase impact and efficiency.
- Support quality improvement and capacity building of birth to five professionals and organizations.
- Respond to community data about strengths, gaps, and needs.
Since beginning discussions in 2011 in a local coffee shop, our vision has been that all children would arrive at Kindergarten prepared, healthy, happy, and ready to learn. This vision takes a village of support in the three overlapping systems of early learning and development, family leadership and support, and health while keeping thriving children and families at the center of our work. This system model is why we work with families and caregivers, educators and staff, healthcare professionals, and system leaders.
Through partner collaboration of over 150 organizations, our work in the community falls into four mobilization paths: Early Learning, Community Engagement Partnerships, Family Engagement, and Health & Development. EPEL and partners work to build aligned resources, services, and identify gaps that families and data have identified to meet the needs of our youngest learners best. EPEL is committed to improving practices with a lens toward equity, advocacy, and data.
EPEL is driven to ensure that all children have access to high-quality early care and education in the community. In collaboration with our partners, we are committed to promoting policies and practices that intentionally meet the needs of children and families from diverse backgrounds and social identities.
Children have approximately 2,000 Days from birth until they enter Kindergarten. 90% of brain growth occurs in the first five years of life, so our community's collective responsibility is to support and help prepare our youngest learners for school and life during this critical time. Community leaders who knew the importance of the first five years formed EPEL as a collaborative collective impact community partnership to ensure young children's healthy growth and development through local system development.
