EPEL (Elgin Partnership for Early Learning) is a 501(c)3 non-profit early childhood community collaboration that functions as the hub of the early childhood system in the eleven communities within the boundaries of School District U-46. EPEL collaborates with partners to increase awareness about the importance of early learning, available resources, access to early childhood community initiatives, and early care and education programs. EPEL supports families and providers of children five years of age and under and examines local data, while parent voice drives decisions to build connected local systems that are easier for families to navigate.
The collaboration uses a collective impact approach to foster young children’s holistic development in the Greater Elgin Area. At the collaboration’s core, EPEL’s mission revolves around bringing together families, organizations, early childhood professionals, and healthcare providers to establish a comprehensive system of support to enable every child to thrive.
EPEL operates at the center of three systems crucial to enhanced outcomes for children and families: early learning and development; family support; and health. When these three systems converge in a collaborative fashion the outcome is thriving children and families.
Our Mission
EPEL engages families, organizations, early childhood workforce, and healthcare providers dedicated to creating a collaborative community wide system of support for every young child to succeed in school and life.
Our Vision
Young children and their families in the Greater Elgin Area have equitable opportunities to thrive.
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, EPEL’s vision has been that all children would arrive in school 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.
Through collaborative efforts of over 150 organizations, EPEL’s work in the community falls into four mobilization paths: Early Learning, Community Engagement Partnerships, Family Engagement, and Health & Development. EPEL and partners collaborate to develop coordinated resources and services while pinpointing gaps identified by families and data, ensuring they are effectively addressed to fulfill the needs of our youngest learners. EPEL maintains a steadfast commitment to enhancing practices through the lenses of equity, advocacy, and data-driven decision-making
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.