Each and every year, the entire Kiddie Academy community gathers for an annual conference, coming together to network, learn, share ideas, and celebrate the previous year’s accomplishments. This year was no different, as franchisees, educators, vendors, and corporate staff traveled to Orlando, Florida to attend the 2023 Annual Conference themed “Leading with Our Values.”
We call our social responsibility efforts Community Essentials, and it’s how we extend all the lessons in our classrooms beyond the walls of our Academies. Along with a weekend full of engaging sessions and presentations, this year’s conference highlighted the many ways franchisees give back and make a difference in their communities. Attendees had a special chance to make an impact on families in the local Orlando area. Plus, the Kiddie Academy community worked together to raise funds that support educators and staff during times of emergency.
Supporting the Kiddie Academy Community Fund
The Kiddie Academy Community Fund provides tax-free grants to eligible teachers and staff who are experiencing hardship or navigating the aftermath of a natural disaster. It also provides a place for our community to make tax-deductible contributions to help fund these very grants, supporting the people who make learning possible. This year, we set the bar at $15,000 which would help to fund over a dozen grants for team members in need.
Growing Our Partnership with Family Promise
Kiddie Academy’s partnership with Family Promise continues to grow in exciting ways. Family Promise is the leading national nonprofit working to end family homelessness. At this year’s conference, attendees helped stuff over 300 backpacks full of school supplies to benefit Family Promise of Greater Orlando, the local Family Promise affiliate. Attendees of the conference also got a sneak peek into new fundraising tools being developed to help support Family Promise’s national event “Night Without A Bed” happening this fall.
Introducing the “Community Essentials” Award
The culminating event at each year’s annual conference is a heartwarming award ceremony that celebrates the accomplishments of franchisees, directors, and educators from across the country. This year, a brand-new award was launched to honor an Academy with a record of transformational generosity and community support that demonstrates social responsibility and encourages others to engage in philanthropy. The inaugural recipient of the award was Kiddie Academy of Robbinsville, and as part of their recognition, the Academy received $2,500 to donate to a charity of their choice.
At Kiddie Academy, “Community Begins Here” is more than just our motto–it’s engrained in our values and is brought to life in many exciting ways.
