Regional Early Childhood Alliance 

In 2021, the NCCF established the Regional Early Childhood Alliance (RECA). ​​RECA is a partnership of community residents and individuals to enhance the wellbeing of our youngest children (0-8) and their families. RECA exists as a network working to value, support, and strengthen organizations, structures, and systems that improve the lives of children and families in our region.​ 

Partnership in RECA: 

Creates a stronger unified regional voice to advocate on behalf of all children and their families in living in Northwest Connecticut. 

Engages in system building efforts to enhance and strengthen an easily accessible regional early childhood continuum of care.  

Provides Collaboration for best practices among various community stakeholders including local, state and national experts. 

Strengthens existing networks through cross-sector collaboration and relationship building. 

Encourages Networking for funding opportunities to enhance to enhance local, regional, or state services and programs. 

Informs funders and local, state and federal leaders of family and community needs and priorities.  

Enhances and strengthen early childhood and family services by including the voice of parents, caregivers, and community residents in discussions about policies and services affecting them. 

Our Children Our Future–A Report on Child Wellbeing in Northwest CT

Decades of research on child development, coupled with a worldwide COVID 19 pandemic, have brought us to a watershed moment by clearly illuminating the structural inequities facing young children and their families, while simultaneously reinforcing the causes of and correlations between lifelong negative outcomes and children who grow up facing adversity.

Read Our Children, Our Future

Grants Provide Food and Shelter 

In 2024, more than 55 grants supported programs that enabled individuals and families in need to access emergency shelters and affordable housing opportunities, and to benefit from food pantry staples–fresh fruits, meats and vegetables–to sustain them through tough times

Through more than $1.5 million in grants since 2022, Northwest CT nonprofits have helped local children experience quality
pre-k educational programs, afterschool enrichment activities, summer camp programs.

NCCF is a Dedicated Member of End Child Poverty Now 

NCCF is a dedicated member of group of change leaders in CT have created a unified platform for advocacy that is positively impacting our communities. By combining the strengths of foundations, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and community members behind a shared vision to End Child Poverty Now, we can more effectively work towards positive, lasting change in Connecticut and beyond.

Our advocacy collaborative envisions a thriving and economically robust CT, where no child experiences the debilitating effects of poverty. We believe that every child deserves access to basic necessities, quality education, and a nurturing environment that fosters their physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. We engage with lawmakers and policy influencers to promote and enact policies that address the root causes of child poverty.

Our collective goal for the 2026 legislative session is to advance the following: 

  • Support permanent, refundable CT Child Tax Credit at $600 per child.
  • Support universal no-cost healthy school meals (breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack).
  • Expand good cause eviction protections to support family housing 

Legislative Advocacy Through Poverty Now Partners

In 2024, we lobbied for paid sick days which previously only covered 12% of workers in CT. The bill was passed by the legislation, expanding paid sick leave to nearly all workers, guaranteeing 40 hours of paid sick leave annually, introducing broader protections, and setting a model for other states. 

In addition, lobbying efforts resulted in partial coverage of no-cost healthy meals for children from families with lower incomes. We continue to lobby to make this a benefit for all students.

In 2025, advocates, the Office of Early Childhood, families of young children, and early childhood educators made their voices heard at the Capitol. Thanks to those voices, legislators and the governor enacted legislation that will establish the Early Childhood Education Endowment. 

The Endowment will increase salaries and health care plans for early childhood workers and provide funding for childcare facility improvements.

NCCF works alongside partners such as the United Way of CT, End Hunger CT, and Partnership for Strong Communities to provide testimony, meet with lawmakers, and inform the community so that important laws are passed and successfully implemented.