The Child Care Council of Westchester (CCCW) will honor individuals and organizations who take extraordinary steps to provide opportunities for children and working parents, and to support its work to build a better future through universal access to quality early child care.
Honorees will be recognized at a virtual event which will take place online at https://dreambig.childcarewestchester.org/ on October 20, 2020 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Tickets and details are available on the same website.
“The pandemic has made it more apparent than ever that quality child care is critical not only for children, but to working parents, business owners, and our entire society,” said Child Care Council Executive Director Kathy Halas. “As we work to build support for the notion that universal access to early care and education is one of the smartest investments we can make, we are so pleased to recognize those who ‘get it’ and those who fight alongside us, here in Westchester and on the national stage.”
Andrew and Evelyn Yang of Humanity Forward will receive the Child Advocacy Award for their recognition that quality early child care and early education must be available to every family. Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and former 2020 presidential candidate.
He founded Humanity Forward, an organization built to legitimize the vision and ideas of his presidential campaign. Through both advocacy and action, Humanity Forward’s vision is to foster a human-centered America that measures each person for their intrinsic value, not their economic value. Evelyn Yang is a marketing professional turned stay-at-home mom. She has a unique and prolific voice as an advocate for children with special needs and is also a leader and supporter of Americans living in poverty, families with disabilities, survivors of sexual assault, and a powerful ally in the implementation of a universal basic income for all Americans. She is a Board member of KultureCity, a non-profit organization that promotes sensory inclusion in businesses, public spaces and arenas, and serves as on the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee of the Autism Society of America.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey will receive the Lifetime Advocacy Award for her national leadership on Head Start, child care and after/out-of-school care, including the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which provides federal funding for community learning centers that provide academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for children.
A fierce champion of children, families and working mothers throughout her career, Congresswoman Lowey is currently serving her 16th term in Congress, representing parts of Westchester and Rockland Counties. She was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988 and served in the Democratic Leadership in 2001 and 2002 as the first woman and the first New Yorker to chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She is also the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
Other honorees include John Ravitz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Business Council of Westchester, will receive the Legislative and Economic Leadership Award, and ENT and Allergy Associates, LLP (ENTA) will be named Corporate Champion.
For more information about Dream Big, contact Dana Lawless at (914) 761-3456 x127 or danal@cccwny.org.
