We ring in 2019 with gratitude for our clients and colleagues, whose missions inspire our work.
Throughout this year, we will feature our clients in different articles to share their impact. Our goal is to broaden understanding of their mission and inspire collaborations and partnerships.
We’ll start with Columbus Early Learning Centers (CELC), which was founded in 1887.
Business First reported on the oldest social service nonprofits in Central Ohio — CELC is the third oldest, after the YMCA and Salvation Army. Business First also ran the list of the largest nonprofits based on 2017 revenue and CELC was 46th.
More important than age or budget size is leadership and impact.
CELC is led by Gina Ginn who is one of the most resilient and effective CEOs we know. She navigates challenges, seizes opportunities, and strategizes growth plans with a singular vision — to holistically meet the early learning needs of children. With a PhD in workforce development, she deeply understands the needs of CELC parents who cannot work without childcare.
The learning outcomes they achieve and the comprehensive support they provide to families is extraordinary.
Gina and her team understand the complexity of poverty and are tireless in their drive to reduce as many barriers to success as possible. They see their families not through the lens of census count and reimbursement rates, but through the eyes of neighbor.
Gina knows the power of early learning on a child’s development and won’t rest until CELC opens enough centers to accommodate the hundreds of families on their wait list. Behind every name on the list is a child her team wants to nurture through responsive caregiving and intentional teaching.
We look forward to supporting CELC’s continued growth.
Article by: Kerri Laubenthal Mollard, Founder & CEO
