Save the Date!

Giving Thanks Together
Virtual Community Dinner

Saturday, November 7, 2020
Message from the CEO
Prioritizing our children and families, come what may
Dear Friends,

What a summer it's been! It really feels as though we're "building the boat while navigating the storm." It's unbelievable to think of how much has changed. We're living in truly uncertain times.

But this is the same: the need for quality and affordable child care is still critically important - more now than ever before.

The families who depend on us at the Fuller Center are the backbone of our local economy - the front-line, essential workers keeping our society afloat. They deserve the peace of mind that comes with trustworthy childcare, and the support they need to continue during these stressful and uncertain times as we inadvertently depend on them.
That's why the support of caring people like you meant so very much this past summer.

Your support kept our services ongoing, our children learning and fed, and our families working. You made our campuses COVID-safe so we could re-open our doors in June to the most vulnerable of them. Your caring heart saved our community from the damage that could have been done to our local economy if our hundreds of families had been forced to stay home for lack of child care.

Our families are essential. The Fuller Center is essential. And YOU are essential. At the Fuller Center, we are ALL essential in this mission to provide these deserving children and families the opportunities they need to thrive and contribute to our community.
In June, we welcomed back half the children we typically serve, and increased the staff to carry out strict CDC guidelines. We created individual classrooms and group spaces, where we kept the same small group of children with the same staff, minimizing exposure to the virus. We secured PPE, put up barriers, and closed the campuses to everyone other than essential team members. We continue to wear masks, clean and disinfect throughout the day, take temperatures upon arrival, and continuously remind everyone on our campuses about their responsibility to keep each other healthy and safe.
Click below for video of our June "limited capacity" reopening!
Over the summer, the staff created and implemented a full virtual program, keeping our children and families connected, and mitigating summer learning loss. They engaged families to prevent isolation, and ensured they had access to food, health care, job opportunities, housing assistance, and help navigating the social service system. 
At Summer Camp, we maintained groups of no more than 10 people and provided a full and enriching virtual program for the youngsters unable to attend our Centers. There were no field trips, field days, picnics, or playground time, but the staff - with minimal resources - rose to the occasion! We had Hollywood Stars Week, Pajama Day, Superhero Day, Movie Star Day, Fishing Day, Dance Fitness Jamathon with Digital Vibez, Money Buddies, CanCode, and Sports with the YMCA. We're most appreciative for the support of our enrichment partners who helped make this summer great!

Then on August 31st, we opened our doors for "School Away from School" - a program for 175 school-age children of essential workers who needed a safe and enriching place to attend school virtually with access to dependable computers and caring adults to guide them along the way. The teachers and family support team are working as hard as they have all summer to ensure that our children and families' ever-changing needs are being met during this challenging time.
The Fuller Center is committed to its mission in good times and in bad. We will continue to embrace our children and families to ensure that their opportunity to build happy, healthy, and successful futures is not lost.

Click Here to donate to the COVID-19 Relief Fund, so we may remain open and continue to make a difference, together.

Thank you for your interest the progress of our children and families as we all weather these unprecedented times. Now more than ever, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your caring spirit!
Heartfelt,
Ellyn Okrent, LCSW
Chief Executive Officer
Fuller Center featured on The Today Show!
Center nationally recognized for school safety during pandemic
The Fuller Center was featured on The Today Show on August 10th as part of a segment on returning to school safely! We're honored to be recognized at the national level as the model for how schools should look in the time of COVID-19.

As we prepared to reopen, we began strictly enforcing CDC guidelines: keeping group sizes small, wearing masks, social distancing, maintaining the highest level of personal hygiene and campus sanitation, etc. We also hired at least eight additional staff members on each campus to carry out the additional required responsibilities.
Because of You
Our children and staff have safe classroom shoes
We asked and you answered! When our children and classroom staff needed safe classroom shoes, we put the call out and our generous community supporters once again showed the size of their hearts. Now every child and teacher has a pair of campus-only, easily sanitized shoes to keep "outside germs" outside.
Event Updates

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the following event dates have been updated. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding as we do our best to keep our community safe by social distancing.

RESCHEDULED

19th Annual Men with Caring Hearts Awards Luncheon
Friday, April 16th, 2021

15th Annual Wee Dream Ball
Friday, December 3rd, 2021


Click Here to email Special Events Manager Alana Lagerström for more information on Fuller Center events and community events benefiting the Fuller Center.
Giving Thanks Together
A New and Unique Event to Celebrate Family, Community, Gratitude, and Gathering Together - Virtually!
We need rituals like the family dinner now more than ever! Regular and dependable rituals can help families remain resilient during difficult times. The world needs to come together right now, and with families spending more time with one another during the COVID-19 crisis, we saw an opportunity to revisit the importance of the family dinner by harnessing the power of community, friendship, and family. We may not be able to gather together physically, but we can gather in small groups in our homes and in our hearts as we Give Thanks Together over a delicious meal!


We're Back to School!
Thank you to Spirit of Giving, St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church, and all community partners who ensured our children were ready to tackle this new and different school year, complete with backpacks, supplies, masks, sanitizer, shoes, and bombas socks!
2020 Drive-Thru Preschool Graduation
Celebrating the Children Moving Up to Kindergarten
Watch the video below to bring a smile to your face!
Our preschoolers have achieved an important milestone during a very difficult time. They have so much to be proud of! Thank you to the teachers, staff, families, and supporters who made this graduation happen in accordance with CDC safety guidelines. Every Fuller Center preschooler has a bright future ahead!
News from Facilities
The East Campus playground sunshade is up!
Special thanks to the American Academy of Dermatology - Dr. John Strasswimmer and SafeSun - Fran and Dr. Nathan Nachlas for protecting our children!
Special Thanks
For making School Away from School possible
Vital to the success of this program has been 160 Chromebooks acquired in 2019, as well as the computer skills teacher on staff.

Special thanks to The Sokol Foundation, Impact 100 Men of Palm Beach County, and every generous supporter of the Chromebooks campaign for donating toward the technology and instruction that made this essential program possible!
Thank You to our Grant Partners
The following grantmaking organizations have recently awarded grants to support the programs that strengthen our community and help change the lives of local children and families in need.
The Sokol Foundation
Special Thanks
To the generous hearts keeping this mission alive, providing hope and relief to the Fuller Center children and families during this time

The below kindly donated toward the COVID-19 Emergency Fund, the Safe Classroom Shoes appeal, and responded to the recent letter from CEO Ellyn Okrent.

Jeanne Aranha & Raymond Gianelli
DerResha Bastien
Marlene & Richard Bluestein
Dale Brown & Alan Serinsky
Nancy Brown
Mark Cahill
Alisa Clarke
Carolyn Cunningham
Camille Darby
Tania Davis
Carolina Doering
Mary Sue Donohue & David Kohn
Carol & Robert Dornblaser
Elizabeth Dudley
William Feinberg
John & Kelly Ferrarese
MaryJo Finocchiaro
Leslie Frank
Lora Friedkin
Jeannette Fuller
Kristin Gavin
Marjorie Giles
Florence Goldberg
Pilar Gonzalez
Lynn Hover
Marie Iandoli
Kevin & Rex Johnson
Ruth & Arthur Johnson
Bonnie & Jon Kaye
Amy & Mike Kazma
Rose Kelly
Ann Kelman
Andrea Kline
Linda & Mike Levin
Tracy & Rob Louv
Krista Maki
Patricia McCarthy
Colleen McCarthy Lopez
Henry Martin
Neil & Karen Meany
Maria Mercaldo
Martha Salavarrieta Mora
Morgan Stanley Gift Fund
Steven & Stacy Needell
Eve Nortman
Michael Okrent
The Marjorie A. O'Sullivan Revocable Trust
Bonnie Paston
Philoptochos Society of St. Mark
Daniel Polen
Hiromi & Robert Printz
Bob & Emily Robes
Fern Rockman
Judith & Jack Rosenberg
Mary & David Rudisch
Matthew Scheer
Robyn Schiller
Jerilyn Schneider
Barbara & Robert Shatanof
Marci Shatzman
Natalie Shrock
Lawrence Siegel
Muriel Silverman
Valerie & Mark Silverman
Colleen & Bruce Solomon
Jennifer Sommers
Simone & Sam Spiegel
Millie & Art Stina
Triple Crown Wealth Management Group
Carolyn Van Arkel
Harvey Wachman
Lenore Wachtel
Patricia & David Wallace
Bharat Warrier
Gail Weisbaum
Dorothy Weir
Tina & John Westine
Helen & Jerry Wexler
Barry Winters


Special Gifts & Support Campaigns

Anonymous
Senada Adzem
Amanda Foundation
Marion Kohn Bailey
Steven E. Bernstein Family Fund
of the Community Foundation
for Palm Beach & Martin Counties
Boca West Children's Foundation
Comerica Charitable Foundation
Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Florida Chapter
Fabiola Hooker
Florida Blue Foundation
Barbara & Dr. Donald Janower
Dennis Moran Agency
Ibis Charities Foundation
Kaitlyn Kelly
Sherry Kelly
Keter
Sean Murdock
Stacey Packer
Matt Pawlowski
PNC Foundation
Procacci Family
Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton
Lawrence A. Sanders Foundation, Inc.
Mark Scheer
Leon Silverman
Spirit of Giving Network
St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church
Office Depot
United Way of Palm Beach County
Wells Fargo Foundation

Stay safe, everyone!

Please visit our website for updates regarding COVID-19 and family resources. 
How You Can Help
Monthly Giving: Become a Champion for the Children

Just $10 a month can provide two children with school supplies all year. Monthly Giving is safe, easy, and incredibly impactful, ESPECIALLY now!

Spread the Word: Open Enrollment for 2020-2021

If you or anyone you know in South Palm Beach County is in need of affordable child care, CLICK HERE to learn more about enrolling at the Fuller Center, the most affordable NAEYC-accredited child development center in Boca Raton.
Adopt-a-Class

Some classes are still looking for an Adopt-a-Class Sponsor! For a donation of $1,500, you can provide resources for an entire classroom of children, investing in their futures and changing their lives! Will you, your family, or your corporate team be the special friends our children need this school year?

Contact Adopt-a-Class liaison Emily at (561) 391-7274, ext. 130 or email to learn more!
Chromebook Fund: Closing the Digital Divide

Children growing up in poverty risk not learning the skills needed for the careers of tomorrow! Now in the time of physically distanced virtual learning, access to these resources is critical. You can help prepare our children to be tech-literate for a fast-paced, digital future.

Click Here to donate toward the Chromebook Fund!
Did You Know?

Studies link regular family dinners with lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and depression in young adults, higher grade-point averages and self-esteem among children, and greater vocabulary retention in young children.

Click Here to take part in the Fuller Center's first virtual family dinner!
Leave a Legacy

Click Here to email Director of Advancement Mary Coleman to learn more about how you can make a lasting difference for decades through Planned Giving!

Your legacy is every life you've touched. ~ Maya Angelou
Help Feed the Children

The stoves at the Fuller Center kitchens need replacing! Help us to serve over 1,800 hot meals a day to our community's most vulnerable children.

Click Here to contribute to the Fuller Center Stoves Fund!
Get Involved: Community Leadership Forum

Would you like to help the children with your talent or expertise? Your knowledge could make a big difference!

Click Here to email Director of Advancement Mary Coleman to learn more about how you can get involved.
Thank you for staying updated with the happenings at Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, for staying involved in the children's lives, and making their futures brighter every day!