Our Vision
All children and families in the District receive the support and resources necessary to thrive and realize their full potential.
Our Mission
Bright Beginnings will implement a two-generation approach to:
Ensure every child experiencing housing instability is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged;
Develop school ready and kindergarten prepared children;
Support families in breaking the cycle of inter generational poverty; and
Partner intentionally to eradicate disparities and remove obstacles to economic mobility.
A Two-Generation Organization
Our two-generation programming is a holistic, family-centered approach based on the understanding that helping the whole family can equally benefit children and parents.
In addition, we are implementing a strategic focus on infant and maternal wellness through our home-based program. This comes at a time when the need is great: due to the alarming rates of infant mortality in Washington, DC, but especially East of the River, Bright Beginnings is expanding our attention to provide regular access to vital resources for pregnant mothers, especially teen moms, moms experiencing domestic violence, first-time moms, and moms over 40.
A Learning Organization
Bright Beginnings uses an evidenced-based, data-driven approach to consistently and intentionally improve our programs in order to better serve our families. As a result, over the years, we have grown as an organization – adding programs such as our Fatherhood Initiative and a brand-new Motherhood Collective to more specifically target the many various needs of our families, plus a new intentional focus on infant and maternal wellness.
Each year, based off data and parent feedback, we expand and refine our two-generation programming. Enhancing these two-generation strategic programs based off of data and parent feedback uplifts both children and their families, allowing each family to transition from crisis to economic mobility.
HISTORY
Bright Beginnings was established in 1990 by the Junior League of Washington who set out with a mission to empower and uplift children suffering from homelessness in Washington, DC.
For over 30 years, Bright Beginnings has helped thousands of children and their families experiencing housing instability by providing them with quality care, education, and support during times of hardship and transition. In 2014, Bright Beginnings pioneered the first home-based program in the country with the sole focus of supporting families impacted by the trauma of homelessness.
In 2018, we built a state-of-the-art learning center in Ward 8 where parents know their children are safe, learning, and growing every day.
By enhancing our vital services every year, including our Workforce Development Program and our CARE (Crisis Intervention) team, Bright Beginnings staff have continuously provided hundreds of Washingtonians with high-quality family and educational support.