Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Olenick, who assumed the position of president and CEO in 2003, the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC) each month provides quality support, development, and education to almost 50,000 children and families in its 22,500 square mile service area. The center remains a unique and distinctive leader in the child care industry. Current programs include resource libraries, home visiting, workforce development, family engagement, financial care assistance, Head Start preschool, Early Head Start, Early Head Start, childcare partnerships, motherhood programs and much more.
DEI is integrated into the CCRC’s everyday services provided for children, families, providers, and staff. With an employee workforce of 1000 and growing, CCRC further committed to DEI when Dr. Olenick created the Anti-Racist Taskforce in June 2020. Now known as the DEI council, the task force advocated for a new division, and CCRC’s first director of diversity, equity and inclusion was hired in January of 2022.
Since then, the agency has: expanded the DEI Division and hired two DEI specialists backed by a robust budget; created a DEI strategic plan for 2023-2025; launched five Employee Resource Groups; created a DEI certificate program for more in-depth learning; provided DEI educational books to all employees; hosted a company-wide DEI panel as well as monthly events; presented best equity-minded practices at the National Black Childhood Development Institute in Washington DC; created a DEI committee on the board; provided DEI education and resources to external providers; and created customized DEI action plans for its more than 10 divisions.
Return to the 2023 Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Awards recap
